State govt to double compensation for deaths due to elephant attack: CM

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai informed that his government has decided to double the compensation for deaths due to wild elephant attacks.

Accordingly, it will be hiked from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.

This decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister held here on Sunday in which Excise and Hassan District-in-charge Minister K Gipalaiah and other senior officials from Forest Department participated.

“For permanent disability due to jumbo attack, the meeting resolved to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the present Rs 5 lakh; for partial disability from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; for injuries from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000,” said Bommai.

He said that in regard to damage to property, it is decided to hike the competition Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000; the monthly pension for the permanently disabled person from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000. Even the amount paid for the crop damage has been doubled.

The Chief Minister further said that permission was also granted to capture eight elephants that are creating havoc in the Sakleshpur-Belur area and to radio collar the captured tuskers in order to keep a watch on them. “Already, 23 wild jumbos have been radio-collared to keep a watch on their movements,” he added.

 

(With inputs from ANI)