THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left red-faced over an order to compensate the victims of captive elephant fury on a par with the compensation paid to wild animal attack victims, the state government has decided to retract the controversial portions. Accordingly, captive elephants will not be included under the wild animals category.
The government had recently hiked the compensation being paid to the victims of wild animal attack, suggesting amendments to the Kerala Rules for Payment of Compensation to Victims of Attack by Wild Animals, 1980. The order was issued after vetting the proposals forwarded by the Principal Chief Forest Conservator (Wild Life) and Chief Wildlife Warden.
The suggestions included amending Sections 3(a)(1), 3(a)(2), 3(a)(3), 3(a)(4), 4(d) and 5(a) of the rule.
As per the new order, the compensation for loss of life has been increased from `5 lakh to `10 lakh, with ` 2 lakh for injuries caused by wild animals. For crop loss due to marauding wild animals, the maximum compensation of ` 75,000 has been increased to `1 lakh. Victims of snake bites outside forest areas will also be given a compensation of R2 lakh, the order said.
The contentious part lay right at the end, where the government made clear captive elephants will be included in the category of wild animals by amending Section 2 (a) of the particular rule which defines the term ‘wild animals’. That made the kin of the victims of captive elephant attack eligible to claim the compensation announced for the victims of wild animal attack.
Forest Minister K Raju told Express the government has decided to retain the compensation hiked for the victims of wild animal attacks. “But there has been some technical issues in including captive elephants under the ambit of wild animals. So the controversial portion will be removed from the order that hiked the compensation of victims of wild animals attack,” he said.
The Minister also said there is a provision in the Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules to compensate the victims of captive elephants.“It mandates the owner of the elephant to provide insurance coverage to the elephants making eligible the kin of victims to get compensation from the insurance firm,” he said.
Heritage Animal Task Force general secretary V K Venkitachalam said the government, while suggesting the inclusion of captive elephants under the category of wild animals, was silent on the provisions made in the Captive Elephant Maintenance Rule.
“Besides, it isn’t a good idea for the government to compensate the damages caused by private jumbo owners. At least, the government should have mentioned in the order the provisions to retrieve the amount it compensated for the victims from the private jumbo owners,” he said.This again leaves a vacuum in the sector where the victims of captive elephants and their kin are getting a hard deal due to the government’s hesitancy in controlling the sector.
“Currently, the victims or their kin have to move the court to get compensation. It involves a huge time overrun and legal proceedings to get the process completed,” Venkitachalam said.
In a nutshell
The state has lost seven lives so far this year due to jumbo fury
In 2017, four mahouts were killed. It was eight in 2016
The new government order has hiked the compensation for loss of life from I5 lakh to I10 lakh.
I 2 lakh will be awarded for injuries caused by wild animals
The maximum compensation of I75,000 for crop loss due to marauding wild animals has been increased to I1 lakh
The victims of snake bite outside forests will be given a compensation of I2 lakh, as per the order