20,000 cases of crop damage ex gratia pending as wildlife conflicts surge

Bengaluru: Lack of funds has delayed compensation to farmers in 20,000 cases of crop damage caused by wildlife. In cases of deaths and injury, the Forest department is forced to take funds from tiger foundations as it awaits money from the government.

Senior officials in the Forest department believe that a combination of factors -  from habitat degradation, fragmentation and climate change to the rising number of wildlife -  has led to an increase in the conflict cases. The conflict numbers for the year 2023-24 crossed the 50,000 mark, a whopping 40 per cent increase from 36,000 in 2012-12.

As per data made available in December last, the department had recorded 12 deaths and about 30 cases of injuries. At the time, the department had disbursed Rs 21 crore as ex gratia to the families of the victims. However, compensating the crop damage has been pending due to the delay in the release of funds by the state government.

To a question, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre acknowledged the delay. “It is true that crop damage cases are pending. However, in the case of casualties, we do not delay the compensation due to humanitarian considerations. We clear the pending claims at the earliest by taking funds from the foundations. These funds have to be reimbursed once the government releases the amount,” he said.

In December, farmers in Gundlupet protested in front of the office of the Bandipur tiger reserve director demanding, among other things, higher compensation. Sources said crop damage compensation worth Rs 2 crore were pending in Bandipur area and officials were clearing cases as and when the government released the funds.

Khandre said he has written to the government. “Under reappropriation, we need to get Rs 32 crore. Moreover, I had sought Rs 50 crore to settle the compensation. The government has released a good amount of money for railway barricades, which is helping in preventing new cases of casualties as well as crop damage. I will remind them again about the funds for pending cases,” he added.