Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 27 May 2021
Mr. Diptendu Das Gupta, State President, Kesaria Hindu Vahini Trust, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has written a letter to the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands requesting him to declare staffs of Forest Department as Front Line Workers.
Mr. Diptendu in his letter has appreciated the efforts of Andaman and Nicobar Administration in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the Islands. He further mentioned that each Govt. Institution is playing a vital role in keeping the Islands and Islanders safe.
He further mentioned in his letter that the Department of Environment and Forests has remained active throughout the lockdown period and the staffs of the department have been helping the forest based communities, at this time of the crises. He added that staffs of Forest Department are also continuing with their mandated work of saving country’s forest from threats like illicit felling of trees, forest fires etc and also protecting the Islands Biodiversity from wildlife criminals.
He added that many staffs of the forest department have contracted the virus while performing their duties. He further mentioned that it is very unfortunate that the staffs protecting the nation’s ecological wealth are not considered as FLWs and are deprived of the chance for early vaccination.
He requested the Chief Secretary to consider declaring the staffs of Forest Department as Front Line Workers and facilitate their COVID-19 vaccination.