State may increase ex-gratia amount shortly

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Uttarakhand, where man animal conflict has become routine affairs, state government is planning to increase the ex-gratia and other compensation amount, which is being provided to wildlife attack victims, by 70 to 100 percent shortly.

The wildlife authorities have proposed a hike in the ex-gratia amount by Rs two lakh i.e. Rs five lakh from Rs three lakh to the families of individuals, who are killed in wildlife attack incidents. Similarly, in the case of permanent disability due to wildlife attack, an amount of Rs 4 lakh will be provided as compensation amount while currently it is mere Rs two lakh. In cases of partial disability, hike from existing Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh has been proposed.

For grievously injured, the compensation amount is proposed to be hiked from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Further, for other injuries the compensation amount is slated to increase from the existing Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000.
The man-animal conflict has been a big challenge for the state because more than 600 persons lost their lives and around 2000 person injured since inception of the state. Wildlife particularly leopards and elephants attacking humans have become quite common. Besides human causality, wildlife raiding crops and killing the livestock has also become a regular feature in the state. Wild boars, neelgais and monkeys have emerged as problematic species in villages.

State Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that a proposal for the hike in ex-gratia and compensation amounts is being drafted and will be put before the Cabinet. It will give solace to the victim family because we can’t compensate their loss but we can mitigate their woe by doing this.

As we know that Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board has been consistently advocating to increase the ex-gratia money to the victim and its family. It will reduce the growing resentment against wild life.