Following a high court directive, the Karnataka government has enhanced compensation to victims of crop loss from raids by wildlife in the state. The Karnataka high court had directed the state to ensure that reasonable compensation is paid for crop loss and human injuries.
Herds of elephants raid farms and agricultural lands, attracted by sugarcane, banana and maize. Besides destroying these crops, causing huge losses to farmers, many a time they attack farmers and others who try to stop them or when they come across them.
Angered by the losses they suffered from frequent raids by rogue elephants and other wild animals, farmers had begun to poison them or electrify their fences, often illegally.
This has resulted in deaths of scores of wild elephants and other animals in the fringe areas of forests in Karnataka, more so in Bandipur, Biligirirangana Hills and Nagarahole areas, close to Mysore, which form part of the largest areas with elephant populations.
In November last year alone, nine elephant deaths were reported near Nanjangud, some of them were either poisoned or electrocuted.
The increasing numbers of unnatural deaths of wild elephants had figured in the high court. One of the chief f reasons cited for the growing retaliation towards wild jumbos was the token compensation awarded to farmers who lost their crops. Unhappy over the paltry compensation, the farmers had taken to destroy the wild elephants that threatened them. Taking note of this, the High Court had directed the Government to pay reasonable compensation to the victims.
According to deputy conservator of forests (DCF) of Mysore Wildlife Division D Yatish Kumar, the government in last June has empowered assistant conservator of forests of paying compensation above Rs 25,000 up to Rs 1 lakh and the DCFs payment of compensation above Rs 1 lakh for crop loss, after spot inspection. This is a modification of the earlier February 12, 2002 order.