Animals Killed: 68 People Killed in Animal Attacks in Odisha in 2024 | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: At least 68 people were killed in attacks by elephants and other wild animals in the state in 2024, state forest minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia told the assembly on Tuesday.
While replying to a written question of BJD legislator Arun Kumar Sahoo, the minister said besides human casualties, 1,087 houses and crops over 2,315.79 acres were also damaged in incidents of the human-wildlife conflict in different forest divisions of the state this year.
“To prevent attacks from elephants and other wild animals at human habitations located near forest areas, the govt has been taking steps for the roll-out of an artificial intelligence (AI) supported e-surveillance project at Bharatpur area in Chandaka forest division, Hindol of Dhenkanal division and Bantala in Angul division on a pilot basis,” said Singkhuntia.
According to him, with the help of AI, the forest officials can monitor the movement of wild animals and accordingly, human habitations can be put on alert in advance.
The minister also said that the govt has so far received 9,168 complaints seeking compensation for the loss incurred due to elephants and other wild animals.
According to him, the govt has sanctioned compensation of Rs 51.92 crore, of which Rs 4.19 crore has been distributed to the affected families .
In another written statement to the House, the forest minister said there is a provision to provide compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for damage to standing paddy and other cereal crops.
For commercial crops, the compensation amount is Rs 25,000 per acre, he said.PTI
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