The loss of one coffee plant caused by a herd of elephants or any wild animal would get the farmer a compensation of Rs. 30. The loss of an arecaut or a coconut palm would get him or her Rs. 250 if the palm is over 10 years old. What’s worse, the amount may come years after the incident.
Responding to a question by BJP MLC Ashwathnarayan in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Minister for Forests B. Ramanath Rai promised to enhance the compensation paid for crop loss in animal raids. He also said that the money would be paid within a stipulated time under the Sakala scheme.
A proposal on enhancing the sum has been sent to the Finance Department. The maximum compensation would soon be raised from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000, he added. Over the last three years Rs. 997.97 lakh had been paid by way of compensation.
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The MLC demanded that compensation should be on a par with the rates given during acquisitions by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board or any other agency for projects. He said that one farmer in Heggadadevanakote was paid Rs. 2,800 for the loss of a cow in a wild animal attack two years after the incident.