The Assam Government has announced a reduction in the deadline for providing compensation to families of those who lose their lives in elephant-human conflict, from 72 hours to 48 hours.
Announcing this key decision at a meeting held at Aranya Bhawan on Tuesday, Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah also revealed plans to double the number of ‘Gajamitra’ teams to prevent such conflicts.
Speaking to the media on the matter, Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said, “Compensation of Rs 6 lakh for loss of human life will be released within two days. For crop damage, Rs 8,000 per bigha will be distributed within three to four days.”
Following a joint assessment by the district administration and the Forest Department, District Commissioners have been empowered to disburse compensation related to elephant-human conflict. To expedite the payment process, dedicated central accounts have been set up in all 35 districts of the state, the minister added.
According to data revealed, 53 people have lost their lives in the state this year due to elephant-human conflict. Tamulpur, Goalpara, and Kamrup districts have been the worst affected by this conflict. Recently, an incident in the Rani area where a herd of more than 40 elephants entered villages in search of food and destroyed crops has increased concern among the public.
It may be mentioned that to prevent conflict, there are plans to expand the existing 81 Gajamitra teams to at least 150. These special teams, comprising local people and Forest Department staff, will work to prevent elephant attacks during the sensitive period from November to March.
