Forest guard applicant’s death may lead to GR revision

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has come down heavily on the state revenue and forest department over the death of an job applicant for post of forest guard who died a day after undertaking the mandatory walking test of 25 kilometres in four hours flat.

Taking a suo motu cognisance in the case, wherein candidate Balaji Tirmanwar, died a day after undertaking the 25-km walk on September 12 as part of his interview in Yavatmal, the MSHRC had issued notices to Praveen Pardeshi, principal secretary (forest) as well as the chief conservative of forest of the two test venues—Yavatmal and Thane.

An affidavit filed by Pardeshi on October 19 stated that the 25-km walk as selection procedure is nothing new. According to a GR dated July 30, 2011, the male candidates are required to walk 25 kms (the distance for female candidates is 16 kms)  in four hours.

In the previous years of 2005-06 and 2007-08 too, the candidates took a similar test. Further, the advertisement published on August 8, 2011 for forest guard recruitment clearly mentioned the risk involved, the affidavit added.

While expressing its displeasure at Pardeshi’s reply on October 20, the MSHRC then suggested revision of the GR. To this, the forest department in its October 21 affidavit said it was considering doing so and stipulating a “more appropriate” distance in the first elimination rounds of future recruitments.