Mumbai 24 August : Disappointed by the increasing incidences of man-animal conflict, the Maharashtra government has increased the amount of compensation for the loss of human lives in animal attacks lawmakers in the state legislature were informed on Wednesday.Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has informed the Legislative Council that the compensation amount has been increased by 25% from the previous $15 lakh to 20 lakh in case of a fatal attack.
Additionally, those suffering permanent handicap as a result of attacks by wild animals shall be awarded five lakh rupees, while those who sustain serious injuries will receive 1.25 lakh.Likewise, those with minor injuries will be provided with Rs 20,000 and treatment in government hospitals.
Similar to losses of different types of domestic livestock, farm animals, bulls, buffaloes or goats, compensation will vary from Rs 5,000 to Rs 70,000.
Mungantiwar stated that in the years 2019-2020 47 people were killed in attacks by various wild animals.Then, 80 in 2020-2021 and 86 in 2021-2022.
In the same way, he said the government has increased the amount of compensation that is paid to the families of the victims of these man-animal conflicts.
Wildlife conservationist and Hon.Secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Kishore Rithe said that the most frequent attacks on humans in Maharashtra are caused by sloth bears, tigers, wild boars, leopards as well as Indian gaurs.
Alongside, the threat of elephants that have strayed in from Karnataka and Odisha in recent years is also a cause of concern because they cause a lot of destruction to agriculture in Konkan in which they’re now’residents and even parts of Vidarbha where they “migrate for three to four months in the course of a year with the length of their stay increasing.
“The increase in compensation is welcomed.However, there must be a comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of man-animal clashes on a long-term basis.” said Rithe who is the founder of the Satpuda Foundation.
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