New Delhi: The Central government has doubled the compensation for those killed in human-wildlife conflict to Rs 10 lakh, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said on Thursday.
Yadav and officials from wildlife wing of the ministry are in Kerala’s Wayanad to assess the situation following the death of Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil. He was allegedly trampled to death by an elephant on February 10, triggering tensions in the district between citizens and Kerala forest authorities.
The ministry said in a release that ex-gratia payment in case of death or permanent incapacitation as a result of human-wildlife conflict will be Rs 10 lakh, Compensation will be Rs 2 lakh for devious injury and Rs 25,000 for minor injury.
“The Central Government provides financial assistance to state/union territories for construction/erection of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields. The States/Union Territories pay compensation as per their norms. The details of the number of persons who got injured or lost their lives due to attacks by wild animals and details of compensation provided by state governments are not collated at the level of the Ministry,” the release stated.
The Union minister wrote on X that his ministry will support “capacity-building of frontline staff and other frontline departments for use of early warning systems, use of modern technology and equipment and modern tracking systems.”
Yadav also mentioned that the Centre will facilitate inter-state coordination meetings between southern states for better cooperation, coordination and collaboration on wildlife issues.
