Jharkhand government today said steps would be taken to check elephants from marauding agriculture fields after Assembly members expressed concern over the problems farmers face due to this.
Replying to a short notice question by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Yogendra Prasad over the issue in the Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy (officiating for the forest department) said the Wildlife Board would look into it and take appropriate measures.
"Compensation against destruction of agri-produce by elephants was Rs 10,000 per hectare with a maximum of Rs 25,000 as outlined in the department's file dated August 25, 2014, which did not mention any plan to increase the amount," the government said in a written reply.
Prasad had asked whether the government had any proposal to increase the compensation amount.
Senior JMM legislator and former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi said a herd of 20 to 25 elephants is moving across the state and suggested setting up a 'high power committee' to find ways in limiting the pachyderms to a single corridor.
Jai Bharat Samanta Party MLA Gita Koda described elephant menace as an inter-state problem.
