Forest Guards in Far West Demand Assistant Third-Level Status

Dhangadhi: Forest guards in Sudurpaschim Province have once again submitted a letter of attention to the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, demanding that their posts be established as Assistant Third Level.

On Thursday, around 50 forest guards working at 10 divisional forest offices across nine districts of the province, led by Forest Guard Ram Singh Dhami of the Division Forest Office, Pahalmanpur, submitted the letter to the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers in Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City-4.

The employees have demanded amendments to the Sudurpaschim Province Civil Service Act, 2079 BS, and Regulations, 2081 BS, to establish the Assistant Third Level for forest guards, whose posts currently have no rank. They have argued that the same arrangement should be introduced in Sudurpaschim as in other provinces, where forest guard posts have been established as Assistant Third Level.

Earlier, on 10 Mangsir 2082 BS, forest guards had submitted a memorandum to the ministry with the same demands. Subsequently, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment formed a five-member committee under the coordination of Undersecretary Bharat Prasad Shrestha to study and analyze the legal amendments required to address their demands. According to the employees, the committee submitted its study report to the ministry on 29 Mangsir 2082.

However, the employees have expressed dissatisfaction, saying the government has not taken the necessary steps to implement the recommendations mentioned in the report. They have demanded that the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers make a written commitment to implement the report's recommendations.

The forest guards have demanded that Assistant Third Level be added to the tier structure of the provincial civil service and that the forest guard post be maintained at the same level. They have also proposed maintaining seniority and providing promotions based on length of service.

According to their proposal, employees who have completed five years of service should first be promoted to Assistant Third Level first level, those who have completed five years should be promoted to the second level up to 10 years, those completing 10 years to the third level up to 15 years, those completing 15 years to the fourth level up to 20 years, and those completing 20 years to the fifth level.

Forest guard employees have said that the existing situation in which they are deprived of promotion opportunities while serving in non-ranked posts should be ended, while employee morale and opportunities for professional development should be ensured.

They have also warned of launching phased protests if their demands are not addressed immediately. The employees said they will begin the first phase of peaceful protests from Bhadra 8, 2083, and continue with the second phase of protest programs if their demands remain unaddressed.

The letter of attention has also been submitted to the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment and all Division Forest Offices of Sudurpaschim Province.