COIMBATORE: Forest Range officers (FRO) (territorial section) feel that fixing a monthly limit to diesel consumption for their vehicles affects patrolling and wildlife protection activities. They say this is affecting their efforts to curb man-animal conflicts in Coimbatore, The Nilgiris, Erode and Tirupur forest divisions. Moreover, the next four months are crucial for the staff as they have to protect the forest from wildfires.
According to sources in the Tamil Nadu forest department, the State government has allocated 150 litres per month for an FRO’s jeep. They say it is enough for 15 to 20 days. For the remaining days, the officers pay from their pockets. Though the amount would be reimbursed by the department, they haven’t got it for several months now.
