MYSURU: Forest minister Ramanath Rai paid a visit to the hospital where three forest personnel, including a range forest officer, are undergoing treatment for injuries sustained while dousing the fire that broke out at Kalkere Range of Bandipur National Park on Saturday.Rai said the family membe rs of the deceased, Murigeppa Tammangol , 28, who was engulfed by flames while dousing the forest fire, will be given Rs 25 lakh through the Tiger Foundation fund. Meanwhile, 14 trained forest personnel who are experts in dousing forest fires, have been deputed to Bandipur National Park On Tuesday, before visiting Kalkere Range, Rai visited the hospital and spoke to the injured forest personnel and their families. The three have sustained 10-30% burns, according to the doctors treating them.Rai assured their family members that the department would bear all the medical expenses and do its best for them. The family members of Manu and Manju, forest watchers who were appointed just a month ago and are yet to receive their first salaries, requested the minister for permanent jobs for their sons. Besides Manu and Manju, range forest officer Gangadar Nayak was also injured.Rai later told reporters that apart from monetary compensation, they would also give a job to one family member. "Though we are not able to find out the real reason behind the fire, forest officials suspect miscreants to be behind it. Chief minister Siddaramaiah has already sought a probe into the Bandipur forest fire and gather information about the incident," he said.He said though the department is installing fire lines across the Bandipur and Nagarahole region, the fire spreads swiftly. Lantana shrubs cause forest fires and scientifically, it is very difficult to stop the spread of lantana in the region as it also helps the tiger in many ways.

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