Odisha enhances ex-gratia for victims of human-animal conflict

Bhubaneswar, May 3 (IANS) The Odisha government on Wednesday enhanced the compensation amount for the loss of life, house, crop and domestic animals in wild animal attacks.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal in this regard. As per the decision, the compensation amount for the loss of life due to human-animal conflict has been enhanced to Rs 6 lakh from Rs 4 lakh.

Similarly, the government has hiked the ex-gratia for people suffering from grievous injury and minor injury in the wild animal attacks.

Now, the persons who will suffer a disability of more than 60 per cent in wild animal attack, will get a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh while a person who will suffer incapacitation of less than 60 per cent, will be provided with ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh, which was Rs 1 lakh earlier.

People with temporary injuries will be provided a compensation of Rs 5,000, with free treatment in government facilities. This benefit will be extended if the injured person will stay under medicare for a maximum period of one week.

If the duration of treatment required is more than a week, the victim will be given an assistance of Rs 10,000 along with free medical treatment in the government hospital.

The compensation amount for the death of a cow or buffalo in a wild animal attack has been increased to Rs 37,500 and for ox to Rs 32,000 against the earlier assistance of Rs 5,000.

Moreover, the ex-gratia for the death of a calf, goat/sheep and lamb has been doubled from Rs 2,500, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1500, respectively.

For damage to cereal crops, the compensation amount has been enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per acre. For commercial crops, the compensation was hiked from Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000.

The government also increased the amount of compensation from earlier Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000, for partially damaged houses.

The Chief Minister also announced to provide a Biju Pucca Ghar or cash equivalent to the cost of the house along with Rs 20,000 if the house of a person is fully damaged in wild animal attack. Earlier, the government was providing only Rs 10,000.

As per data, 925 persons died and 212 persons became physically disabled only in elephant attacks in Odisha during the last 10 years, between 2012-13 and 2021-22.