Mysore: At a programme held at late Venkataswamy Park in Aranya Bhavan here on September 11, marking National Forest Martyrs’ Day, rich tributes were paid to Forest Department personnel, who laid down their lives while on duty.

Principal District and Sessions Judge K.S. Mudgal, who was the chief guest, recalled the sacrifices made by Forest Department staff in safeguarding the natural wealth.

She said the Forest officials were fighting against poachers and smugglers day and night and it was one’s duty to remember them daily and not restrict it to occasions like Martyrs’ Day.

Mudgal, who said that those who laid down their lives fighting to save our forests and wild animals in it were not just martyrs, added that just honouring them was not enough but steps should be taken to see they were not killed in future.

The Principal District and Sessions Judge also urged the department to utilise the latest technologies and give a fitting reply by nabbing the poachers, smugglers and encroachers of forest land.

The District Judge urged the public and the Forest Department to give moral support to the families of martyrs.

City Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem, who also spoke, said that Forest Services were tough as these officials move about in places where there is no human habitat to protect our forests and animals.

The names of 38 forest personnel, who laid down their lives between 1966 and 2014 were read out and three rounds were fired in the air as a salute to these martyrs. Mysore Zoo Executive Director B.P. Ravi, Conservator of Forests G.S. Gaonkar, ACF (Mysore Forest Division) Dr. V. Karikalan, Additional Chief Conservator of Forests (Project Elephant) Uday Kumar and other officials placed wreaths at the Forest Martyrs’ Memorial.

Earlier, floral tributes were paid by the officials to the portrait of Deputy Conservator of Forests Srinivas, who was beheaded by Veerappan in 1991.

ACFs D. Basavaraj and Madhava, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Puttamadegowda, Forester Shivakumar and others were present.