Wild animal attacks: failure to sanction treatments funds a cause for worry for Forest officials, local representatives in Idukki

The failure to sanction funds for the treatment of wild animal attack victims has put both Forest officials as well as local body representatives in a spot. In the last six months, three people in the district were seriously injured in wild animal attacks, yet the government has not provided the necessary financial support for their medical treatment.

One such victim, Mullamalayil M.R. Rajeev, 46, was attacked by a wild gaur on March 31 while returning home after attending a Good Friday procession at Spring Valley near Kumily, Idukki. The attack left him gravely injured. In another incident, a 71-year-old farmer, Thomas, also known as Kunjappi, was attacked by a wild elephant at Pampumpara near Kanthallur on September 23 and remains under treatment at a private hospital in Ernakulam. Two workers from a waste dumping yard at Kallar, under the Munnar grama panchayat, were injured in a wild elephant attack on September 25. One of the workers, Alakamma, 67, sustained severe injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ernakulam.

Pradeep T.S., the ward member of Spring Valley under Kumily grama panchayat, shared his distressing experience after stepping in to help Mr. Rajeev. “He was admitted to a private hospital in Pala, and timely intervention saved his life. He spent months in the hospital and the bill amounted to over ₹5.75 lakh. However, the Forest department only paid ₹1 lakh, and the hospital refused to discharge him without the remaining payment,” Pradeep said.

Mr. Pradeep went on to share how he personally guaranteed the payment by providing a cheque to the hospital after officials promised to settle the balance within a month. “Unfortunately, the government has yet to allocate the funds, and now there’s a cheque case against me,” he said. Mr. Rajeev, who is the sole breadwinner for his family, including his two daughters, was promised a job for his wife by the Forest department — a promise that remains unfulfilled.

Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) N. Rajesh said that the maximum allowable compensation for victims of wild animal attacks is ₹1 lakh. “The hospital bill for Mr. Rajeev, who was injured by a wild gaur in April, came to ₹5.75 lakh. I have written to the Idukki district collector requesting the balance amount be paid from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF),” Rajesh said.

The issue has gained prominence, especially after the Kerala cabinet, on March 6, declared human-wildlife conflict a State-specific disaster due to the increasing incidents of attacks on people, as well as the loss of crops and property. “District collectors have the authority to release funds from the CMDRF, but the collector has yet to sanction the money,” a source pointed out, adding that all the victims were attacked in non-forest areas.

Munnar Range Officer S. Biju revealed that Alakamma’s primary treatment costs amounted to ₹2.70 lakh. In a bid to help, Munnar panchayat secretary called on the public to donate funds for the injured workers’ treatment. Munnar panchayat vice president K.V. Balachandran said that the panchayat staff even donated their salaries to raise ₹70,000 towards the hospital bill for the victim. Meanwhile, Marayur Divisional Forest Officer P.J. Suhaib confirmed that the treatment bill for Mr. Thomas has already exceeded ₹3.7 lakh. 

Published - October 05, 2024 08:48 pm IST