Foresters of the Dalma wildlife sanctuary are playing good Samaritans for daily wagers, including trackers, who have not been paid wages for the past three months.

The forest officials, including rangers, are providing monetary help to the hapless daily wagers , some of whom are married with children.

Most of the families are in a financial crisis.

48 daily wagers, including women, are engaged in maintaining the accommodations and taking care of two domesticated elephants as mahauts, and some are working as cooks.

Trackers, who are paid Rs 249.83 for their labour, are involved in keeping a tab on the movement of animals across the sprawling 192 sq km sanctuary.

Dalma range officer (West) Dinesh Chandra, who provided grocery to some daily wagers on Monday, said the workers have not received wages for April, May and June.

“We are helping out the workers by providing them grocery, vegetables and cash. We have to do this as these daily wagers are working with us for several years now,” he added.

Speaking to The Telegraph Online, Chandra said they have also requested some grocers to provide grocery to daily wagers on credit.

“The grocers know us and are sure that they would get back their money once the pending payment of workers is cleared,” he added.

According to Chandra, the government is expected to clear the pending dues later this month.

“We think that the daily wagers will get their dues by the end of this month,” the range officer said.

A forester said he provided money to a daily wager for the treatment of his pregnant wife.

A forest guard said he did the same, to help meet the financial needs of a daily wager’s father had fractured his leg.