Man-animal conflict: hike in relief for crop loss, victims

At a time when man-animal conflict has become the order of the day, hike in relief towards the cases of crop loss and injuries to people has finally brought smile on the faces of coffee planters and farmers alike in Kodagu.

After seven year-long wait, the state government has issued an order in September, increasing the compensation for loss of crops due to wild animal raids.

Following the revision, there has been a substantial hike in relief for the following crops: Coffee (arabica and robosta)- Rs 200 (earlier Rs 100) per stick, cardamom- Rs 800 per kg (Rs 400) and pepper-Rs 180 per kg (Rs 90). Similarly, the relief amount has been doubled for commercial crops like orange, arecanut and coconut too.

The relief for orange plants (less than five years old) is fixed at Rs 200 per stick against Rs 100 earlier, while that of the plants above five years will get Rs 320 per stick against Rs 160 earlier. For areca and coconut trees less than five year old, it has been increased up to Rs 400 as against Rs 200, followed by Rs 800 (Rs 400) for the trees as old as seven to nine years and Rs 2,000 (Rs 1,000) for the trees 10 years and above. The other crops that fall in the bracket are: banana plantation- Rs 160 (Rs 80) per stick, lemon- Rs 10 (Rs five) and bigger sized lemon- Rs 24 (Rs 12). In the case of paddy too, the relief has been increased to Rs 1,320 per quintal against Rs 660 earlier.

There has been a rise in relief amount for other crops like maize, ragi, chilli, corriander leaves, ginger and other varieties of vegetables largely grown in Kushalnagar and Shanivarasanthe  in Somwarpet taluk.

According to the officials of Forest department, the growers of other crops like sunflower, soya, sugarcane, carrot, potato, beans, onion, tomato and also flowers will also be benefitted following the hike in relief amount.

Compensation for people
Not just that, if any people are permanently disabled following the animal attack, they also stand to benefit financially, following the drastic hike in compensation amount to Rs five lakh against Rs 50,000 fixed earlier.

If the people are rendered partly-disabled they will be eligible for Rs 2.5 lakh (Rs 20,000), injured persons for Rs 30,000 (Rs 20,000), while for damages to property, the relief per case is increased to Rs 10,000 against Rs 7,000.

The relief amount extended to the next of the kin of the dead remains stagnant at Rs five lakh, without any change.
DH News Service