The Odisha Government on Wednesday announced an increase in the ex-gratia compensation for human fatalities arising from conflict with wild animals from Rs 4 lakh lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

The state government’s move came in the wake of reports of people getting killed almost on a daily basis in human-wildlife conflict and property, crops worth crores of rupees damaged across the state. There was an appeal from several quarters to the government to take steps towards mitigation of human-wildlife conflict and to enhance the compensation amount for death, injuries, damage to crops or property

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Besides increasing the compensatory sum for death, the government also raised compensation for the permanent incapacitation to Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh depending upon the extent of incapacitation, an official statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

In the event of 60 per cent incapacitation, the victim is entitled to Rs 1.5 lakh while it has been raised to Rs 2.5 lakh for people suffering from grievous injury of more than 60%. Besides, the government has also decided to enhance compensatory allowance for victims suffering from minor injury or suffering damage to crop or property in human-wildlife conflict, it said.

Similarly, in case of temporary injury, earlier the amount of assistance was Rs 5,000. Now, it has been raised to Rs 10,000 if the victim undergoes treatment for more than a week. If the duration of treatment is less than one week, Rs 5,000 compensation will be provided along with free treatment in government hospitals.

The amount of assistance has also increased in case of death of cattle. The amount of assistance in case of death of cattle has been increased to Rs 37,500.

The compensation for the crop damage has also been increased. The amount of assistance in case of loss of rice and other food grains (cereal) has been enhanced from Rs 10,000 to 20,ooo per acre. In the case of cash crop damage, the amount of assistance has been increased from Rs.12,000 to Rs.25,000.

Similarly, the amount of assistance in case of partial damage of houses has increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs.10,000. In the event of total damage to the house, Biju pucca house will be provided to the victim along with Rs 20,000 ex-gratia aid.

The majority of human death due to attacks by wild animals is reported due to man-elephant conflict, which has assumed alarming proportions over the years.  As many as 925 people perished and 212 were rendered permanently disabled in man-elephant conflicts in the State in the past decade.