BENGALURU: Weeks after National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), while investigating the death of five tigers at MM Hills, flagged delays in payment of salaries to frontline staff, a similar issue has surfaced at adjoining Biligiri Ranga Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve in Chamarajanagar.Some 125 outsourced frontline staff in Chamarajanagar complained to Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Organisation that although sums were deducted from the salaries, they weren’t paid to the provident fund (PF) for more than seven months.In the MM Hills case,NTCA had warned that delays in paying salaries and perks to frontline staff undermine wildlife conservation.Acting on complaints from Chamarajanagar staff, the regional PF commissioner in Mysuru issued a notice to the Chamarajanagar wildlife division over non-remittance of PF contributions for outsourced employees between Sept 2024 and March 2025.The violation came to light after the family of a forest watcher was denied post-death benefits, including PF and ESI. Despite the forest department producing valid documents, the family’s request was turned down by Mysuru-based RC Business Solutions, the outsourcing firm that supplies staff to theforest department.The department faced the heat when the PF commissioner served a legal notice after the firm delayed settlement of dues. Although the firm submitted receipts as proof of remittance, an RTIreply from the EPF office in Aug confirmed that no contributions were credited for seven months.“On verification of records by your office, it has been ascertained that the contractor has not remitted statutory PF dues from Sept 2024 to March 2025,” the EPF commissioner wrote to the assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Chamarajanagar wildlife sub-division.The notice warned that failure to comply within a week would lead to legal action against the department.Shripati BS, deputy conservator of forests, BRT Tiger Reserve, acknowledged receipt of the notice. “We are in touch with the outsourcing firm,” he said. “Despite oral and written directions, theyfailed to comply and instead submitted challans which EPFO has declared invalid. We have now sought reports from all ranges to assess the extent of the issue. If the firm fails to clarify, we will initiate legal action, blacklist them, and forfeit their deposits.”Describing the lapse as “a punishable offence,” conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni, who sought details under the RTI, said: “Temporary forest staff, who risk their lives with meagre pay and little support, are being denied their most vital social security benefit — EPF. This exploitation causes immense hardship and demoralises the frontline staff. The department must order a statewide probe and act strictly against such firms.”
