Compensation to families of slain forest officers
 

BY FLORENCE Wickramage

THE Environment and Natural Resources Ministry has introduced a scheme to pay compensation to the families of personnel of the Departments of Wildlife Conservation and Forest Conservation who sacrificed their lives in the discharge of their duties.

The scheme was introudced for the first time on the advice of the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources A. H. M. Fowzie to appreciate the services of the late officers.

Several officers attached to the Flying Squads of the two departments had been targetted by illegal poachers, timber fellers and unscrupulous businessmen who operate undercover.

The officers who had fallen prey to these illegal activists had performed exemplary service to the units they had been attached to.

Minister Fowzie added that it was the duty of the Ministry to ensure the future security of the families of those late officers and to support them with considerable financial assistance.