Srinagar, March 11, Heavy snowfall and consequent shortage of food in the forests of Kashmir have forced many a wild animal to stray into human habitations, leading to violent confrontations between beasts and the humans resulting in the death of scores of people over the last few years.
Now the kin of people killed in these attacks are demanding compensation from the authorities.
On Monday families of the victims held protests in northern Kupwara district at not receiving any aid or relief from the government.
Scores of people have been killed in Kupwara and adjoining areas by wild animals while twice as many have been gravely injured, Kashmir Observer reported on Tuesday.
In the Haihama village of the district alone, 10 persons, including 5 women, have been killed since 1998, the report said.
Scores of others, a large number of them children, have been seriously injured, many of them maimed for life.
The relatives of such victims held protests demanding ex gratia relief in their favour.
A delegation said that in the past ten years, Shamim Ahmad Khan, Lali Jan, Shabir Ahmad, Saleema Bano, Hameeda Bano and Dilshada Bano had been killed in attacks by wild animals since 1998, but no relief of any kind had been provided to them, while the administration held the wildlife department responsible for the situation.
When contacted, the chief wildlife warden for north Kashmir said that the department provided relief incase of people killed in attacks by wild animals.
Rs 1 lakh in each case was given as ex gratia relief for the seven persons killed since 2006, he said.
He said that a list of people killed in such attacks since 1990 was being drawn up and the cases would be forwarded to the government.
“The government has not given approval so far. As soon as the government issues the order, the wildlife department will release ex gratia relief in favour of the affected,” he said. Haamid Ansari, The Cheers News
Haamid Ansari, 
man animal conflict
