RAHUL PITTU SAVALKAR AND ORS vs THE ADDITIONAL PRIN. CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST AND ANR

Judgment text excerpt

03.WP.2683.2023.doc Ajay IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.2683 OF 2023 Mr. Rahul Pittu Savalkar and Ors. .. Petitioners Versus The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Anr. .. Respondents ....................  Ms. Vaishali Jagdale, Advocate for Petitioners.  Mr.J.P. Patil, AGP for Respondents – State. ......…........... CORAM : MILIND N. JADHAV, J. DATE : SEPTEMBER 03, 2025. JUDGMENT: 1. Heard Ms. Jagdale, learned Advocate for Petitioners and Mr. Patil learned AGP for Respondents - State. 2. 22 “Van Majoor” (Forest Labourers) in Group ‘D’ category in the capacity of Labourers, Watchman, Cook and Gardener since the year 2003 onwards in Sanjay Gandhi National Park are Petitioners before me. Admittedly they having been working continuously without any break and involved in highly risky job situations for years together pertaining to work of cleaning cages of wild animals like tiger, lion, leopard and hyena etc as part of their duty. Their work pertains to cutting the meat and provide food to these wild animals, nurse them, provide medicines and do all incidental and ancillary works. 1 of 17 03.WP.2683.2023.doc 3. By virtue of these Petitioners being engaged in this kind of work, the caged wild animals have become used to these workmen and therefore duly recognize them and respond to them. Thus work wise these workmen have become indispensable. After several decades of employment these workmen sought permanency status which is denied to them. Collectively through the Union 77 workmen together filed ULP Complaint No. 300 of 2016 which stands dismissed by the impugned judgement of the Industrial Court dated 12.12.2022. The dismissal order is however challenged by 22 workmen in their personal capacity bef