Kerala should’ve compensated victim: Union minister Bhupender Yadav
The New Indian Express
February 21, 2024
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav
on Wednesday said he will inquire into the ex-gratia amount that Karnataka
has agreed to pay the family of a Kerala man, who was trampled to death in
Wayanad recently.
At the Kempegowda International Airport here, he told reporters that it was
the Kerala government’s responsibility to compensate the kin of the
deceased. “I will look into it and once I have all the details, I will
comment further,” he said.
He later headed to Bandipur Tiger Reserve to seek details of human-animal
conflicts, particularly in areas bordering Wayanad. Later, he headed to
Wayanad to meet the family of Ajeesh, who was killed by a radio-collared
makhana (tuskless elephant) in Wayanad on February 10.
Yadav said, “The human-elephant conflict situation is grave. Even as
officials have apprised me of the situation, I will talk to people on the
ground. The Centre has been issuing regular advisories and is sanctioning
funds to tackle it. While addressing human-animal conflict, we should also
have sympathy towards animals. All states are regularly advised to use
technology while tackling conflicts. Orders to radio collar animals have
been issued, but yet many are not doing it. I will see where the lapses
are.”
On how the compensation issue has taken a political turn, the minister said
how the ex-gratia will reach the people on the ground will be examined.
Officials from the ministry, Wildlife Institute of India and National Tiger
Conservation Authority were part of the meetings with Yadav. “The minister
was informed that in the wake of rising backlash from the people and
opposition parties, the Karnataka government has not yet released Rs 15
lakh compensation,” ministry sources told TNIE.
In Bandipur, the minister was told about elephant and tiger radio
collaring. He was given a live demonstration of the app ‘Hejje’, which
tracked stray makhana elephant’s locatio to the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
Karnataka forest officials explained to Yadav with maps and live
geo-coordinates of where the makhana was released and where other
translocated elephants were released. The department also informed Yadav of
spots where rail barricades have been erected.
“The minister visited the place to take stock of the situation. We were
able to change the narrative of Kerala and Tamil Nadu that Karnataka is
dumping its problematic elephants on the borders,” forest department
sources said.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Feb/22/kerala-shouldve-compensated-victim-union-minister-bhupender-yadav
Kerala should’ve compensated victim: Union minister Bhupender Yadav
The New Indian Express
February 21, 2024
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav
on Wednesday said he will inquire into the ex-gratia amount that Karnataka
has agreed to pay the family of a Kerala man, who was trampled to death in
Wayanad recently.
At the Kempegowda International Airport here, he told reporters that it was
the Kerala government’s responsibility to compensate the kin of the
deceased. “I will look into it and once I have all the details, I will
comment further,” he said.
He later headed to Bandipur Tiger Reserve to seek details of human-animal
conflicts, particularly in areas bordering Wayanad. Later, he headed to
Wayanad to meet the family of Ajeesh, who was killed by a radio-collared
makhana (tuskless elephant) in Wayanad on February 10.
Yadav said, “The human-elephant conflict situation is grave. Even as
officials have apprised me of the situation, I will talk to people on the
ground. The Centre has been issuing regular advisories and is sanctioning
funds to tackle it. While addressing human-animal conflict, we should also
have sympathy towards animals. All states are regularly advised to use
technology while tackling conflicts. Orders to radio collar animals have
been issued, but yet many are not doing it. I will see where the lapses
are.”
On how the compensation issue has taken a political turn, the minister said
how the ex-gratia will reach the people on the ground will be examined.
Officials from the ministry, Wildlife Institute of India and National Tiger
Conservation Authority were part of the meetings with Yadav. “The minister
was informed that in the wake of rising backlash from the people and
opposition parties, the Karnataka government has not yet released Rs 15
lakh compensation,” ministry sources told TNIE.
In Bandipur, the minister was told about elephant and tiger radio
collaring. He was given a live demonstration of the app ‘Hejje’, which
tracked stray makhana elephant’s locatio to the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
Karnataka forest officials explained to Yadav with maps and live
geo-coordinates of where the makhana was released and where other
translocated elephants were released. The department also informed Yadav of
spots where rail barricades have been erected.
“The minister visited the place to take stock of the situation. We were
able to change the narrative of Kerala and Tamil Nadu that Karnataka is
dumping its problematic elephants on the borders,” forest department
sources said.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Feb/22/kerala-shouldve-compensated-victim-union-minister-bhupender-yadav