Tamil Nadu has doubled compensation for human deaths caused by wildlife attacks from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, while also increasing payouts for injuries, crop losses, damaged houses, trees and cattle, according to a government order reported by the Times of India on Friday.
The revised compensation framework expands support for people and households affected by wildlife conflict. Compensation for major injury or partial disability has been increased sharply from Rs 59,100 to Rs 5 lakh. Victims suffering minor injuries, who were not eligible for compensation under the earlier system, will now receive Rs 20,000.
The government has also raised compensation for crop damage from Rs 25,000 per acre to Rs 40,000 per acre. Payments for damaged trees will no longer follow a flat rate of Rs 500 per tree. Under the revised structure, saplings up to one year old will attract Rs 500, trees aged between one and four years will attract Rs 1,000, and trees older than four years will attract Rs 2,000.
Banana plants, which were not covered under the earlier compensation system, will now qualify for a payment of Rs 250 per plant. The changes are significant for households whose income or property is exposed to wildlife movement, particularly where crop cultivation, livestock rearing and habitation overlap with forest areas.
Compensation for house damage has also been enhanced. For a fully damaged house or a severely damaged pucca house, the payout has increased from Rs 95,100 to Rs 1.50 lakh, or the actual assessed damage, whichever is lower. For fully or severely damaged thatched or kuccha houses, the earlier compensation was Rs 10,000 for one category and Rs 5,000 for another. The revised system provides a flat payment of Rs 15,000 based on the actual damage assessed.
For partially damaged houses, whether pucca, kuccha or of another form, compensation has been raised from Rs 5,200 to Rs 10,000, subject to the actual damage assessment. The payout for the death of milch cattle in a wildlife attack has increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per animal.
The revision follows an announcement made in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly two months ago by forest minister R V Ranjthkumar, as reported by the Times of India. The order brings several categories of loss under a more differentiated compensation structure, including age-based payments for trees and a separate provision for banana plants.
The revised rates are intended to determine payments after assessing the nature and extent of the loss. The order reported by the Times of India does not provide details in the supplied report on the timeline for disbursal, the application process or the officials responsible for completing damage assessments.
