Assam boosts human-wildlife conflict aid with new policy measures

The Assam government has announced new policies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. This includes increasing compensation for human death to Rs 6 lakh, revising crop damage aid, and forming committees for long-term scientific strategies.

The Assam government has announced a series of policy measures to strengthen mitigation of human-wildlife conflict in the state, including enhancing ex-gratia for loss of human life to Rs 6 lakh and revising crop damage compensation.

The decisions, approved by the Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department, were taken following suggestions made during a consultative meeting on human-animal conflict held at the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 15 with MLAs, forest officials and other stakeholders.

The decisions, approved by the Assam Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department, have been communicated by Assam Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Jayanta Mallabaruah, through letters to all MLAs, seeking their continued cooperation in effective implementation of the initiatives within their respective constituencies.

The measures are intended to provide timely relief to affected families while establishing a stronger institutional framework for long-term mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, particularly Human Elephant Conflict.

Enhanced Compensation and Timely Relief

One of the key decisions is the enhancement of ex-gratia payment for loss of human life in incidents of human-wildlife conflict. The Government has increased the compensation from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, which will be disbursed through the Corpus Fund maintained by the respective District Commissioners, enabling quicker financial assistance to bereaved families.

To further ensure timely relief, the Government has also amended the ex-gratia and compensation process to expedite the disposal of claims relating to loss of human life and damages arising out of human-wildlife conflict. The revised mechanism is expected to simplify procedures and significantly reduce delays in compensation.

Recognising the hardship faced by farmers, the Government has also revised crop damage compensation from Rs 7,500 per family to Rs 8,000 per bigha, providing more realistic support to cultivators affected by crop depredation by wild animals.

Long-Term Scientific Mitigation Strategy

As part of its long-term scientific strategy, the Government has constituted Zonal Human-Wildlife Conflict Risk Reduction Committees across different conflict landscapes. These committees comprise Members of Parliament, MLAs, representatives from the Forest Department, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and experts from relevant fields.

The committees will prepare scientifically informed, socially inclusive and administratively coordinated Zonal Human-Wildlife Conflict Risk Reduction Plans, tailored to the specific ecological and conflict scenarios of different regions. The initiative aims to ensure that mitigation measures are evidence-based and region-specific rather than adopting a uniform approach across the State.

Addressing the Monkey Menace

Addressing the growing monkey menace affecting agriculture and horticulture in several districts, the Government has also decided to undertake a detailed study on the feasibility of a Monkey Sterilisation Programme. A joint team of officials from the Forest and Veterinary Departments will visit Himachal Pradesh to study the functioning of Specialised Monkey Sterilisation Centres (MSCs), examine the surgical methods adopted there and assess the programme's effectiveness before considering a similar initiative in Assam.

The Government emphasised that any future sterilisation programme would be based on scientific assessment and practical feasibility, taking into account the experiences of states where such interventions have already been implemented.

The Minister stated that these decisions reflect the Government's commitment to adopting a scientific, participatory and sustainable approach towards mitigating human-wildlife conflict while ensuring timely assistance to affected families.

He further urged all MLAs to extend their cooperation and provide guidance in the effective implementation of these initiatives so that the benefits reach vulnerable communities and long-term conflict mitigation measures can be successfully implemented across Assam. (ANI)

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