The decision to increase the compensation has come as huge relief for farmers in districts like Wayanad, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam where maximum cases of wild animal attacks have been reported.

Following massive protests and deliberations from farmers living near the forest fringes, the Kerala government has decided to increase the compensation for crop damage caused by wild animals. The government has accepted the recommendation of the senior officials of the forest department who have been holding talks with farmers for the past one month.

A committee of experts will soon be formed to determine the exact amount. The compensation was last revised in 2018. The recommendation is to raise the fee for a licensee to ₹1500 and the burial fee to ₹2000. Currently, the fee for a licensee is ₹1000, and there is no burial fee.

The compensation for killing and burying wild boars, which cause damage to crops, will also be increased.

“It is a minor relief for those farmers, mainly the small scale farmers living near the forest fringes. We had demanded that the fee for license should be Rs 3000 and the burial fee should be increased to Rs 3500. But the government has reduced the amount. However, in the current scenario, we welcome this fee revisal as this itself is a minor relief for the farmers who are struggling to meet the both ends of their lives”, said Johny Varkey.

Minister A.K. Saseendran stated that the Forest Department understood the farmers’ demands and that the issue had been discussed with the Chief Minister and had got it approved. He also mentioned that 5000 wild boars that had caused crop damage had already been killed. Additionally, he noted that if the state’s recommendation to remove the wild boar from the list of protected species receives approval from the central government, it would provide relief.

The compensation for crop damage was first introduced by the government in 2015. The first revision took place within three years. However, the rates have remained unchanged for the past seven years. There is an indication that the compensation may increase by 35%.

Source - https://www.news9live.com