Man-animal conflict continues to escalate in north Bengal’s forest region. Recently, several people have been killed or injured in elephant attacks. While local leaders and administrative representatives have been addressing the issue by providing immediate government assistance, top-level political leaders often visit the affected areas to offer condolences, especially when an elephant kills a person in areas where by-elections are to be held.
Today, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista visited the home of Shyam Munda in Uttar Khairbari, within the Madarihat Assembly constituency. Munda was killed last night in an elephant attack.
“The ministry of environment and forest allocates Rs 5 lakh in case of a death caused by an animal attack. I request the West Bengal forest officials to ensure that this compensation is provided to the family as soon as possible,” Bista stated.
In recent times, human-animal conflicts, particularly in the Dooars and Terai regions, have been on the rise. However, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista criticised the forest department for failing to address the issue comprehensively.