Zilla panchayat members, at a general body meeting here on Thursday, sought action on the destruction of crops by wild animals crossing from reserve forests to nearby villages.
Raising the issue, Janardhan Tonse said two persons lost their lives after wild animals collided against their vehicles on a road close to the Havanje reserve forest area recently.
Uday Kotian said monkeys and peacocks entered villages and destroyed crops. A pack of wild buffaloes destroyed crops at Neer Janguli hamlet. “Can farmers get compensation for crop loss by wild animals and whom should they approach for it?” he asked.
An officer of the Kudremukh Wildlife Division said farmers could approach the Forest Department or the Wildlife Division for compensation. The compensation for crop loss was doubled last year. A farmer could get a compensation of about Rs. 1,200 per quintal of paddy, she said.
Mr. Tonse said the district administration should get a survey done of roads running close to the reserve forests. A comprehensive report should be prepared so that these reserve forests could be fenced to prevent the animals coming on the roads, he said.
Intervening, Priyanka Mary Francis, Deputy Commissioner, said the forest department and wildlife division should plant saplings of fruit-yielding trees on the border of the reserve forests so that monkeys did not cross over to the villages in search of food. These saplings could be planted under the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, she said.
Complaint against nurses
Gopal Poojary, MLA, said nurses at the Taluk Government Hospital in Kundapur were impolite with the patients. Recently, the nurses had told a pregnant woman that her delivery could not be conducted as the gynaecologist was absent.
The District Health Officer had not taken any action against the nurses. The Health Department had lost control over the Kundapur Taluk Government Hospital, he said.
Rohini, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, said she had sent a report on the entire incident to the Health Commissioner. Intervening, Ms. Francis said the Health Department must shrug its lethargy and become proactive as the complaints against it were increasing.
