Households suffering wildlife menace waiting for compensation

KATHMANDU: Farmers in Gulmi district have been waiting for compensation and relief for the damages caused by wild animals to their crops and cattle.

The wild animals not only damaged crops but also attacked domestic animals and human. But the households suffering the damages have not been compensated yet.

Although the victim households submitted applications at District Forest Office, seeking compensation and relief, the Office did not pay attention to it, said Bishnu Prasad Pantha from Chhatrakot rural municipality-4.

The Directive relating to the relief and compensation for damages caused by wild animals has mentioned well that the sufferers are entitled to the compensation and relief, which, however, is limited to word.

Chitra Kala Thapa from Resunga municipality-3 also shared similar plight. “It has been long she applied at forest office for relief amount after tiger preyed her goats. The office has not responded yet,” she added

On the other hand, the Division Forest Office, Gulmi informed that it had not got the amount to be distributed in compensation though the government had asked the Province Forest Directorate for it.

District Forest Officer Pankaj Thakur informed that applications for the relief were sent to Banke National Part for the release of amount in case of those received before the new directive. The amount would be deposited directly at sufferers’ accounts, he added.

The Division Forest Office has recorded deaths of 68 domestic animals in the attack of wildlife while crops belonging to 11 households were damaged in the fiscal year, 2079/80.

As per directive, the household suffering human injury and loss is entitled to relief amount ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 million, while in case of cattle injury and deaths, the household gets Rs 10,000 to 30,000 in compensation.

Similarly, the household whose crop is damaged by the wildlife can claim compensation of as much as Rs 10,000.