Is there a Snake in your backyard? Live with it!

Forest cell of the civic body has no volunteers, as their contracts have expired three months ago

Is there a Snake in your backyard? Live with it!

Forest cell of the civic body has no volunteers, as their contracts have expired three months ago

High-profile call: A volunteer rescues a snake at the residence of cabinet minister Karunakara Reddy

Wildlife rescue calls pour in every day, but the cell has been virtually defunct since August with the expiry of all five volunteers' contracts.

The BBMP's delay in appointing volunteers for more than three months has left people in the lurch, with nobody to attend to their calls for the rescue of any wild animal spotted in the urban jungle.

"We have been getting calls everyday. Not all calls could be attended as the cell doesn't have a single volunteer," said a forest cell official on condition of anonymity. "The delay in renewal of volunteer contracts is the trouble."

The BBMP's forest cell, which was launched as a public service, has now become another reason for people to be frustrated with civic services in the city.

The cell is non-functional, with five volunteers' positions and one of adviser remaining unattended.

While the terms of the five volunteers, who attended calls pertaining to wildlife rescue, wildlife trade and wildlife crimes, expired in August, the adviser who led the team completed his term last month.

Response bias?

But the BBMP seems in no hurry to fill these slots.

There are from 15 to 20 calls made everyday to the BBMP control room, most of them related to wildlife.

"Only important calls are attended," said the official. "This includes recent ones like the rescue of a cobra from Justice Ramesh's house and from Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy's residence."

People squarely blame the BBMP for the mess. "We keep calling BBMP several times, as snakes are often found in our locality," said Sunil K, a resident of Nagarbhavi.

"But the BBMP staff doesn't arrive every time. Though we have a cell for the purpose, service isn't available."

All work, no pay

The BBMP's story of lapses doesn't stop at this. The officials who have delayed renewing the service contract of the wildlife volunteers have also not paid them for the last year, just as in the past.

While five volunteers have not been paid from November 2008 to August 2009, the adviser to the forest cell has not been paid for a year.u00a0u00a0

"We haven't been paid since last year," said P R Mahesh, a wildlife volunteer who worked for the BBMP. "Our contracts haven't been renewed too. We have made many pleas in this regard but all have gone in vain."

The Other Side
Civic officials deny any lapses on their part.

"There is no lapse from our side and all calls are being attended without delay," said Bharat Lal Meena, commissioner, BBMP. "Salaries are paid in time too. And we are looking into other matters, and things will be set right soon."

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