Arunachal: Namdapha Tiger Reserve staff threaten to vacate camps, suspend work over 6 months of unpaid wages

Employees of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh have threatened to vacate their camps and suspend work if their pending wages for six months are not released within 10 days, citing mounting financial distress due to non-payment since April 2026.

In a memorandum addressed to the Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Miao, contingency and Project Tiger employees said their wages for the period from April to September 2026 remained unpaid despite their continued work in the protection and management of the reserve.

The employees said the prolonged delay had affected their ability to meet basic household expenses, including food, children's school fees, medical costs, electricity bills and cooking gas charges.

According to the memorandum, several employees had initially relied on credit from local shopkeepers to meet their daily needs. However, with the arrears continuing to accumulate, shopkeepers had stopped extending credit, forcing some employees to borrow money to manage household expenses and incur additional interest payments to moneylenders.

The employees also flagged concerns over the approaching festive season, saying the absence of wages had made it difficult for their families to afford essential provisions, clothing and other customary expenses.

They alleged that delays in wage payments had become a recurring issue, requiring employees to submit representations and resort to peaceful protests before their dues were released. Such delays, they said, affected their morale, dignity and financial security despite their continued service to the Forest Department.

The employees have sought the release of all outstanding wages within 10 days of the submission of the memorandum. They warned that if the payment deadline was not met, they would vacate the camps occupied by them and organise a peaceful, democratic protest in accordance with the law.

Invoking the slogan “No Pay, No Work”, the employees said they would not resume work until their full wages for the six-month period were paid.

The memorandum was submitted by the undersigned contingency and Project Tiger employees of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve, with a list of employees and their signatures attached as an enclosure.