A compensation dispute has emerged in Karnataka’s Nanjangud taluk after former MLA B. Harshavardhan alleged that the family of an Adivasi woman killed in a tiger attack was given only ₹5 lakh and demanded that the government release the full compensation without discrimination.
Harshavardhan made the demand after visiting the home of Machamma, an Adivasi woman from Doranakatte Colony who died recently following a tiger attack. During the visit on Saturday, he offered condolences to the family and provided financial assistance personally, according to a report by Prajavani.
He alleged that issuing only a ₹5 lakh compensation cheque to Machamma’s family reflected negligence by forest officials. He further alleged that compensation was being distributed unequally on the assumption that Adivasi families would not question the administration.
The former MLA demanded that the government provide prompt and full compensation to families of people killed by wild animals. His remarks referred not only to tiger attacks but also to deaths involving elephants and leopards, which regularly bring forest administration and affected settlements into direct contact over compensation, safety and official response.
Harshavardhan also criticised the forest department’s understanding of how wild animals enter villages. He alleged that forest officials lacked even a basic understanding of the parts of the forest from which tigers, elephants and leopards move towards settlements. He linked the alleged compensation dispute and the wildlife movement issue to what he described as a deterioration in the taluk’s administrative system.
The report did not include a response from the forest department or other government authorities on the amount paid to Machamma’s family, the applicable compensation rules, or whether any additional payment is under consideration. It also did not specify the total compensation amount sought by the family or explain whether the ₹5 lakh cheque was an interim payment or the final sanctioned amount.
The dispute places the immediate relief process for families affected by wildlife attacks at the centre of the local administration’s response. For affected households, compensation is tied to the speed and clarity of official procedures after a death, while forest authorities are also responsible for addressing the circumstances in which wild animals enter human settlements.
Harshavardhan warned that a protest would be held in front of the Hediyala forest department office if the family did not receive full compensation. Zilla Panchayat leaders and local representatives, including Chandra, Chikkaranganaik, Vishnu, Ranga Swamy and Bangaru, were present during the visit, according to the report.
