The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a detailed report from the Forest and Environment Special Secretary on jumbo menace that forced villagers to live on tree top and suffer immensely for loss of lives, crops and houses in Nilgiri area of Baleswar district.
Considering the petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy and his rejoinder to the report submitted by the Environment Secretary in the NHRC, the Commission sought the report within six weeks.
In the rejoinder, Tripathy mentioned that the report of the Government in the case is prepared to show the seriousness of the officials. The ground reality is that hundreds of villagers have to spend sleepless nights due to prolonged man-animal conflict in the area. The main demand of the villagers is that they don’t want compensation but security for their lives, the petitioner pointed out.
Citing various instances of deaths and injuries of villagers, crop losses and damage to their houses, Tripathy further stated that the villagers took shelter on tree tops and in their relatives’ houses after their houses were damaged in the elephant depredation with the forest personnel having failed to drive them out. The affected villagers alleged that they don’t get appropriate relief. Protection of Human Rights Act and Section 357 of the Cr PC empowers the NHRC to award compensation to the victims, the petitioner contended.
The pathetic condition of life of the villagers continues with threats from elephants. These animals attack the villagers, injure and kill them, destroy their crops i.e. the source of their livelihood. The situation has been worsening day by day. Villagers have to leave their houses and take shelter either on tree tops or stay in their relative’s houses in remote areas, Tripathy alleged.
He requested the NHRC to act over the issue immediately and investigate the issue relating to the human-animal conflicts and direct the Secretary of Environment and Forest to constitute a team of experts to analyse the situation thoroughly and recommend steps to be taken as remedial measures. Since the victims are mostly tribals and poor villagers, enhancement of compensation for deaths, injuries and for loss of livelihood should be ensured in the interest of justice, the petitioner said.