Man-animal conflict: Compensation to victims hiked in Uttarakhand

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Wildlife Board on Saturday decided to increase the amount of compensation given to people killed due to man-animal conflicts to Rs 6 lakh from the present Rs 4 lakh, according to an official statement.

At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Board also decided to increase the amount given to those who get seriously injured in such incidents from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. A corpus fund of Rs 2 crore will be created for giving compensation to the victims of man-animal conflicts, it said. The chief minister said effective steps need to be taken to reduce man-animal conflicts through better coordination between the forest department and the state administration, it said.

Compensation to the victims of man-animal conflicts should be paid within 15 days of the incident and an elaborate plan should be drawn up to stop monkeys damaging crops, Dhami said. The Board also took a decision to develop a Jim Corbett trail to put places associated with the famous British hunter on the world tourism map, the statement said. The tourism department will prepare an action plan for rehabilitating trek routes and developing homestays around places associated with Jim Corbett, it said.

The board also approved a proposal for the re-establishment of the Shivalik elephant reserve. Work on these projects should be started in a phased manner, the chief minister said during the meeting. 'Chaurasi Kutia' within Rajaji national park will also be developed considering its importance from the tourism point of view, the board decided. The 'Chaurasi Kutia' in Rishikesh, also known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram or Beatles ashram, was visited by the world famous rock band in the 1970s.

They stayed there and composed some of their most popular songs.

A 12.9 kilometre motor road between Dhaula to Vari Seva Dokhri in Mori block and a 5 km motor road in Dugadda between Pulinda-Tachchali and Syalinga will be constructed to create better facilities and boost tourism, the statement said, adding that a museum in Rambara and a meditation centre in Chhoti Lincholi will be also be built. Noting that man-animal conflicts can be stopped through active public participation, he also stressed the need for bio-fencing. State Forest minister Subodh Uniyal informed that the number of snow leopards in the state had risen in five years from 86 to 121.