Loss of life due to wild elephants: Bommai doubles compensation

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday announced that compensation would be doubled for crop damage and loss of lives caused by wild elephants.

Speaking in the Assembly, Bommai said fencing along the elephant habitat is being done.

“We will double the compensation for crop loss and loss of human life caused by wild elephants,” Bommai apprised the House during a discussion on the issue.

He said the forest department has been directed to grow plants in the deep forest areas where elephants have their habitat so that they do not venture into human habitations.

Bommai told the assembly that the budget allocation to deal with the elephant problem has been increased to Rs 100 crore from Rs 50 crore earlier. He also said in the previous years, the budget for this issue was only Rs 50 crore but hardly Rs 30 crore was spent by the government.

“The elephant problem is prevalent in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and now in north Karnataka,” he said.