Demanding that the government increase the compensation for crop loss and loss of human and cattle lives, former Congress minister Shivanna also urged that the same be distributed to the victims immediately. He was addressing a press conference here on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mr Shivanna threatened to intensify the protest and stage a hunger strike in front of Vidhana Soudha if the government fails to heed his demands. He has been organising people across the HD Kote taluk in this regard, he added. Thousands of applications for compensation have been pending from the past two to three years.

Compensation
He charged that the government had released a mere Rs 14 lakh towards compensation for animal attacks last year as against the actual amount of Rs one crore. He demanded that the government increase the compensation for human death from the existing Rs one lakh to Rs five lakh. He also put forth the demand that the government should ask the Forest and Revenue Departments to conduct a joint survey to assess the worth of the crop damage and pay the total loss.

Chennigappa flayed
Training the gun on Forest Minister C Chennigappa, Mr Shivanna called him an “incapable minister”. Lashing out at the Minister, he said that Chennigappa is well versed only with “mines” and has no idea of forests. The forests are not safe as long as people like him hold the portfolio, he alleged. The former minister observed that Mr Chennigappa should visit the forest regions like Bandipur, Nagarahole and Kakanakote to take note of the problems.

Officials chided
He stated that the Forest Department officials have been treating the people in the fringe areas as animals without catering to their problems. Despite the increase in the number of beast attacks, the department is continuing to be apathetic.

Resorts
Noting that the increasing resorts in the Kabini backwaters have added upto the pressure on the forest areas, he demanded that the government stop issuing fresh licenses for resorts.