Policy framed for compensating crop damage by wild animals: Bhagat Chunni Lal

Chandigarh, December 18, 2014: The Forest and Wildlife Protection Minister, Punjab, Bhagat Chunni Lal today said that any damage caused to the crops by the animals and any loss of life and property will be compensated by the Government.

The Minister further said that to implement this, a policy has been framed by the government and the farmers of the state have benefitted from it. The minister also informed that in case of death by snake bite a sum of Rs. 2 lakh as compensation has also been approved and covered under this policy. He said that due to the effective implementation of wildlife (protection) act, 1972 the number of wild animals has been on increase in the state and due to the loss of natural habitat of the animals because of construction projects, the animals have been inadvertently wandering into the fields thereby damaging the crops.

The minister also said that strong implementation of the act has also resulted in the increase in the number of wild pigs who often damage the crops by venturing into the fields. To keep the population of wild pigs in check, The Punjab Government has framed a policy of allowing restricted hunting of pigs under which the farmers will have to intimate the number of wild pigs in their fields and get a resolution passed by their village Panchayat and after that get permission for limited hunting from Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) and concerned Forest Divisional Officer. The minister informed that this policy is applicable throughout the state.      

Divulging further details, he said that the farmers have demanded fencing around their fields to stop damage to their crops. He informed that in Patiala District out of 6 wild life sanctuaries, fencing work around bir mehas, bir bhunarheri and bir bhadson is on at full swing. The chain link fencing around bir gurdialpura, bir motibagh and bir dosanjh is going on and will be completed according to availability of budget.This work is being carried on with the assistance of central government. He said that inspite of that if the crops of farmers are still damaged by wild animals then the affected farmers can make a representation to the nearest forest divisional officer and get compensation.

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