Essential kits distributed to frontline staff of Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka under CSR initiative

Essential supply kits were distributed to frontline staff working in the Hediyala and A.M. Gudi ranges of Bandipur Tiger Reserve to ease their daily challenges in safeguarding wildlife.

Around 120 personnel, many of them from local tribal communities, were the beneficiaries of this CSR initiative taken up by UST, a digital solutions company.

A release said that the kits comprised jackets, raincoats, boots, binoculars, carrying bags, water bottles, and tiffin boxes. Forest staff, often deployed in remote locations, face unpredictable weather and rugged terrain while monitoring animal movements and preventing poaching. The supplies are intended to make their patrol duties more manageable, the release added.

Smita Sharma, global programme manager, CSR, UST, said that the frontline staff are the backbone of daily forest protection efforts, working tirelessly to safeguard wildlife and maintain ecological balance. “By supporting these unsung heroes, we are proud to contribute to the preservation of our national heritage,” said Ms. Sharma.

The company’s CSR programme has so far reached six out of 20 forest ranges in and around Bandipur over the last three years. In all, more than 280 forest personnel and support staff have benefited from similar distributions in Bandipur and Kabini. These include 60 staff who received safety kits in 2021, 100 forest guards and anti-poaching camp members in 2024, and lastly, the 120 support staff in Hediyala and A.M. Gudi ranges of Bandipur, according to the release.

In addition to protective gear, UST has supported infrastructure improvements at a school in Sargur under its ‘Adopt a School’ initiative. This benefited over 550 students from tribal communities.

Forest officials welcomed the CSR initiative, noting that improved gears will aid mobility during monsoon patrols. Together with the equipment provided in recent years, such as night-vision devices supplied to the staff at D.B. Kuppe, the upgrades are expected to improve patrol coverage, response time, and on-ground safety across the reserve.