This story is from June 20, 2022

NAGPUR:Rs 1 lakh compensation for damage to houses by jumbos

NAGPUR: The state government has now made a provision of compensation for damage to houses by elephants. Though there are no resident elephants in Maharashtra, the added relief seems to have been given considering the damage caused by a herd of 23 elephants in Gadchiroli early this year.
NAGPUR:Rs 1 lakh compensation for damage to houses by jumbos
Elephant
NAGPUR: The state government has now made a provision of compensation for damage to houses by elephants. Though there are no resident elephants in Maharashtra, the added relief seems to have been given considering the damage caused by a herd of 23 elephants in Gadchiroli early this year.
There have been separate GRs issued from July 2, 2010 to December 23, 2015 regarding compensation for damage to crops and farm equipment and fences from animals like deer, nilgais, wild boars, Indian gaurs and langurs.
However, for the first time compensation for crop damage by elephants was introduced on March 23, 2018.
There are no resident elephants in Maharashtra and their presence was seen for the first time in Sindhudurg and Kolhapur districts in 2002. These elephants entered from Karnataka and some of these tuskers settled down in the state in 2004. The government made provision for damage to farm equipment and bullock cart by paying 50% of the market value or Rs 5,000, whichever was less. Similarly, Rs 10,000 was paid for the compound walls and fences.
However, on June 17, 2022, the state amended the earlier GR issued in 2018 and also introduced payment for damage to houses, cattle sheds, roofing tiles, houses made of tin sheds and cement, and brick and paving slabs.
The affected villagers will get actual compensation for damage or Rs 50,000, whichever is less. Similarly, for damage to slabs, they will get the actual amount of damage or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is less.
Forest officials said the compensation is subject to conditions. People doing farming on forest land or have been booked under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, or Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, will not get compensation. Besides, those claiming compensation should not graze more than four cattle heads in the forest.

“It is a good move as the villagers from Gadchiroli will benefit from the new GR. The herd of 22-23 elephants had entered Gadchiroli’s Dhanora and Murumgaon ranges and stayed for five months before returning to Chhattisgarh. In October this year, the same herd will return with more numbers next season. Though the tuskers were not engaged in any major conflict with the locals, they damaged houses in some villages,” said Sagnik Sengupta of Stripes and Green Earth (SAGE) Foundation, working for elephant conservation.
Gadchiroli honorary wildlife warden Uday Patel said, “The compensation was too meagre considering the colossal damage caused by the elephants. It should be doubled.”
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