Venugopal Reddy, Principal Secretary (Forest) for the Government of Maharashtra, assured the resolution of issues and demands of forest guards and vanpals during his visit to the city on Friday.

Reddy chaired a meeting with the executive body of the Maharashtra Rajya Vanrakshak va Padonnat Vanpal Sanghatana at Harisingh Sabhagruha, Seminary Hills. Shailesh Tembhurnikar, Head of Forest Force (HoFF), attended as the chief guest, along with Shomita Biswas, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Personnel).

Ajay Patil, President of the Sanghatana, and other executive members were present at the meeting. The Sanghatana demanded the release of 12,000 permanent posts for Van Majoor (Forest Labourers) in the State. Reddy assured them that the government would make an appropriate decision on this matter.

Other demands included implementing the 7th Pay Commission's revised pay scale for all employees, increasing the number of vanpal posts in the State, conducting the transfer process online, ensuring salaries are paid before the 5th of each month, and providing duty and diet allowances similar to those in the police department. They also requested a 5% reservation in the forest department for one family member of each serving employee, equal pay for employees in remote forest areas, increased uniform and kit allowances, and awards for exemplary work.

The meeting was attended by several senior forest department officers, including A. Srilakshmi, Conservator of Forest, Nagpur; Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Chief Conservator of Forest, Chandrapur; Ramesh Kumar, Conservator of Forest, Gadchiroli; Madhav Manmode; Vishal Mantriwar; Bharat Madavi; Siddharth Meshram; Arun Pendorkar; and Nitin Gadpayale.