Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The workers who were given the task of feeding and taking care of the cheetahs in the Kuno National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, have called for a strike. On Tuesday, the workers refused to butcher goats and buffalos to feed the big cats in the special enclosures called the Soft Release Bomas (SRB).
These 30 workers were from the nearby village and are prominently from Yadav and Gujjar communities. They were hired because of their exceptional knowledge of the nearby terrain and the behavior towards animals. According to reports, the workers were paid around Rs 9000 per month and they worked in shifts.
These workers have refused to butcher goats and buffalos for the cheetah because of their religious beliefs. They even refused the training offered by the national park officials.
According to a report in Times of India, this unexpected strike from the workers has halted and disturbed the ever important cheetah tracking programme. The officials are in a conundrum and are figuring out ways to solve the pressing issue. One of the solutions the officials are looking forward to is outsourcing procurement of pre cut meals from licensed meat vendors in the state.
Meanwhile, the trackers have approached the Chief Minister's office and have put forward their demands to end the strike. These demands included Insurance Coverage and exemption from slaughtering duties. Although, they could not meet the CM, they met his OSD and submitted their pleas.
The workers have refused to work in the Kuno National Park until their demands are met, this throwed off the KNP Officials in a turmoil. With the already a pressing issue of cheetahs veering out of the park premises and entering villages, this strike puts another nail in the coffin.
