Elephant attacks: Govt hikes solatium to Rs 15 lakh

Karnataka has decided to double the solatium for deaths caused by a wild elephant attack from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. This was decided at a late Sunday meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who also heads the forest department.

The government has also hiked compensation paid to farmers for crop losses caused by wild elephants running amok.

For permanent disability caused by elephant attacks, the meeting resolved to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the present Rs 5 lakh; for partial disability, the compensation is up from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; for injuries, it is hiked from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000.

For damages to property, it was decided to hike the compensation from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Also, the monthly pension for permanently disabled persons is up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000.

The government has hiked the compensation paid to farmers for losses caused to 64 types of crops - paddy, maize, ragi, cotton and so on - by wild elephants running amok.

During the meeting, Bommai granted permission to capture eight elephants "creating havoc" in the Sakleshpur-Belur area and to radio-collar them in order to keep a watch, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. "Already, 23 wild jumbos have been radio-collared to keep a watch on their movements," it said.

Last month, the government decided to set up an elephant task force in Hassan, Chikmagalur, Mysuru and Kodagu districts to keep a check on the jumbo menace. An order to this effect was issued soon after the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, an official statement said.

The task force, headed by Deputy Conservator of Forests, will be set up in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Mysuru and Kodagu districts, where the jumbos are in conflict with human settlements. The task forces will be headed by Deputy Conservators of Forests.