In a bid to assuage growing public anger for loss of life and property in the attack by wild animals in Odisha, the State government on May 3 increased the amount of compensation being paid to affected population.
A proposal to increase compensation money for people facing wild animal attacks was approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
As per the decision, the amount of compensation in case of human death caused by wild animal attack has been increased from ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh.
Similarly, the amount of assistance in case of permanent injury has also been raised. In case of less than 60% disability, the amount of assistance has been revised upwardly from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.50 lakh and in case of more than 60% disability, the amount of assistance has been increased to ₹2.50 lakh.
Usually, ₹5000 was earlier paid for temporary injury. Now, if hospitalization is required for more one than one week, the treatment cost will be free in government hospital and in addition, ₹10,000 will be provided.
The assistance has also been increased in case of the death of cattle. The amount of assistance in case of death of a cow or buffalo has been increased to ₹37,500 and in case of death of a bullock, it has been raised to ₹32,000. Earlier it was ₹5000. In case of death of a calf, ₹5000 will be paid.
Compensation for goat and sheep deaths has been doubled to ₹4000 from ₹2000. In the case of crop damage, the assistance has been doubled from ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 per acre and for cash crop, farmers will get ₹25,000 per acre compared to previous amount of ₹12,000.
Similarly, the amount of assistance in case of partial damage of houses has increased from ₹2000 to ₹10,000 and if a house is completely demolished, Biju Pucca Ghar housing unit and additional ₹20,000 will be paid to affected people. Earlier the compensation, the compensation for housing loss was only ₹10,000.
Of 1,570 human deaths reported in elephant attacks in the country in the last three years between 2019-20 and 2021-22, the highest number of 322 deaths were reported from Odisha followed by 291 in Jharkhand. Last year (2022-23) was the worst compared to previous years from the point of view of human deaths in the conflict. As many as 146 persons have been trampled death by elephants.
