Jaipur, Feb 3 (IANS) The Rajasthan government led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will provide Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of people who lose their lives in human–wildlife conflict, Minister of State for Forests and Environment (Independent Charge), Sanjay Sharma, informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
He also assured that residents of villages falling under the Karauli Tiger Reserve Sanctuary will not be displaced against their will.
Responding during Question Hour, Sharma said that under a 2022 government order, the compensation amount in cases of death due to wildlife attacks currently stands at Rs 5 lakh. However, showing sensitivity to such incidents, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has approved increasing the assistance to Rs 10 lakh.
Necessary amendments to the rules are underway, after which the enhanced compensation will come into effect.
Replying to supplementary questions raised by MLA Jaswant Singh Gurjar, the minister clarified that if villagers are cultivating barren land within the reserve area, there is no provision for compensation under existing departmental rules.
Sharma further explained that a committee was constituted for identifying the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) in the Dholpur–Karauli region in compliance with Supreme Court directions.
The committee’s report was submitted to the apex court, and only thereafter was the CTH officially notified.
Providing an update on wildlife incidents, the minister informed the House that a tigress recently died in the Sariska Tiger Reserve, Alwar, after sustaining injuries in a fight with another tigress. A post-mortem examination was conducted as per protocol, and the animal was cremated with due respect.
Earlier, in a written reply to the original question, Sharma stated that the process of voluntary relocation of villages from the Critical Tiger Habitat in Dholpur–Karauli has not yet begun.
He reiterated that if voluntary displacement takes place in the future within the Karauli Tiger Reserve — covering areas of the Bari Assembly constituency — compensation will be provided strictly as per state government guidelines and norms issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on November 2, 2002; February 21, 2008; and July 24, 2025.
–IANS
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