KL Report
SRINAGAR
Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad in reply to a Calling Attention Notice by Syed Basharat Ahmad Bukhari said that during the last three years (2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) 13 persons were attacked by wild animals out of which 5 persons lost their lives and 8 persons were injured in Sangrama constituency. He said out of injured persons the cases of 4 persons have been settled while the cases of remaining 4 persons are in the process of settlement. An amount of Rs 5 lakh @ Rs one lakh per case has been released in favour of next of kin of death cases while as Rs 48,000 have been released in favour of four injured persons. The compensation in respect of four remaining injured cases will be released as soon as the formalities are completed, he said.
The Minister said that during last five years, an amount of Rs 2.40 crore has been paid as compensation/ex-gratia to the injured kith and kin of the deceased persons.
He said that due to man wild animal conflict, people lose their property, and sometimes their lives. The animals, many of which are already threatened or endangered are often killed in retaliation.
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed increase in man wild animal conflicts, which is due to the expanding human populations, encroachment of forest lands and wastelands, fragmentation of wild animal habitat due to developmental activities, and conversion of habitats into croplands and orchards, he added.
