The team will include three central-level representatives from the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, WWF-Nepal and National Trust for Nature Conservation. Similarly, it will include the warden of Koshi Tappu region, a veterinary doctor from the Chitwan National Park and the District Forest Officer. Besides, accessing the damage, the team will recommend technicalities for fencing and providing compensation to the victims of the elephant attacks.
The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) has formed the team at the peak of pressure emanating from the locals of Jhapa who are enraged at government inaction and apathy toward their plight. “The people are angry and things are getting out of control in Jhapa as no action has been taken since the first incident that occurred on June 6,” Santosh Nepal, the WWF-Nepal´s special policies and programs coordinator and a member of the newly-formed technical team, said.
Nepal added, “The government must immediately release the compensation to bring some relief to the agitating locals. Any further delay will bring added problems for the local authorities.”
The DFOs of India and Nepal have already held several rounds of talks to address the problems faced by the border district each year. The DFOs have also agreed on a compensatory mechanism to address the loss of property.
However, the MoFSC´s directives for compensation are yet to get cabinet endorsement. The MoFSC on July 5 issued the Directives on Relief Assistance for Damages caused by Wild Animals and have suggested immediate relief.
“The ministry has proposed Rs 150,000 to the victims seriously injured in the attacks by wild animals,” Dr Annapurna Nanda Das, the spokesperson of the Department of Forest Research and Survey, said, adding, “The compensatory mechanism will be applicable to other districts faced by such wild animal attacks.”
Das, however, added that the directives are yet to be finalized by the Finance Ministry after which it will require the cabinet approval.
“The problem is in implementation part. But the compensation should not be a problem as any government directives involving financial dealings must be issued only in consultation with the Finance Ministry,” Shah commented.
akanshya@myrepublica.com
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