Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that the ex gratia amount in cases of death of people due to attacks by wild animals would be doubled from the present ₹7.5 lakh.
Replying to a debate in the Assembly on the menace of wild elephants in various taluks of Hassan, the Chief Minister said the compensation for crop loss due to wild animal attack would also be doubled.
He also said 74 km of forest area was being taken up for fencing this year at a cost of ₹100 crore to prevent elephants from coming out of forests. An action plan was also ready in this regard, he noted.
So far, the actual fiscal progress of fencing of forest areas had not crossed ₹30 crore. However, this year, the entire ₹100 crore would be used for the purpose, he said.
Earlier, the MLAs from Hassan district expressed concern that more than 80 elephants were roaming around in Arkalgud, Alur, Sakleshpur, and Belur areas of Hassan district.
They demanded that the government not only increase compensation for loss of human lives and crops, but also provide a government job on compassionate grounds for the family members of the deceased.
