Palamu BJP seeks early compensation for crop, house damage caused by monkeys, nilgais, elephants

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Daltonganj, October 9: A Palamu BJP delegation has sought early compensation for crop and house damage caused by monkeys, nilgais and elephants, alleging that frequent wildlife incursions have made life difficult for residents in several areas of the district.

The delegation, led by BJP district president Amit Tiwary and Kisan Morcha district head Vijay Kushwaha, met Medininagar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Satyam Kumar on Thursday, October 8, and submitted a memorandum highlighting the problems faced by affected families and farmers.

The BJP leaders alleged that monkeys and other primates damage traditional tiled roofs, elephants demolish both mud and concrete walls, and nilgais destroy standing crops, causing substantial losses to farmers.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Tiwary alleged that the Medininagar forest division had failed to adequately address the damage caused by wildlife to houses and agricultural land.

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BJP Seeks Reopening of Three Forest Nurseries

Apart from demanding prompt compensation for wildlife-related losses, the delegation urged the forest department to reopen three closed government nurseries at Kundri, Purshottampur and Rabda.

The BJP leaders claimed that the closure of these nurseries had forced local residents to purchase saplings from private sellers at higher prices.

The delegation said reopening the nurseries would make saplings more accessible and affordable to residents.

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DFO Says Compensation Process Simplified

DFO Satyam Kumar confirmed that a BJP delegation had met him and raised two principal demands: early compensation for wildlife-related damage and the reopening of the closed nurseries.

“Regarding compensation, we have further simplified the process to make it more convenient for affected people,” Kumar said.

He explained that the process begins with a report prepared by revenue personnel, including the concerned revenue employee, documenting the nature and extent of the damage.

The report records details such as the mouza, khata number, area of crop damage and losses to house roofs caused by monkeys, among other relevant information.

Kumar said the forest division was making efforts to reopen the closed nurseries.

Nilgais, Monkeys and Elephants Increasingly Enter Human Settlements

The DFO also pointed to changing wildlife behaviour, saying that herbivores and other animals, including nilgais, monkeys and elephants, were increasingly entering human settlements.

“There is a behavioural change in herbivores like nilgai, monkeys and elephants. It is not always a shortage of food and water that drives them towards human habitation. They are making frequent incursions into human settlements,” Kumar said.

He acknowledged a sharp increase in the monkey population and said nilgais were entering Palamu from neighbouring Bihar.

Forest department sources said elephants found in the region were residents of Jharkhand.

Nilgai Menace a Growing Concern in Palamu

The issue of crop damage caused by nilgais has also been raised in Parliament by Palamu MP Vishnu Dayal Ram. The problem has emerged as a concern for farmers in the Lok Sabha constituency, which comprises four Assembly constituencies in Palamu district and two in neighbouring Garhwa district.

The BJP delegation’s memorandum has brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by residents living near wildlife habitats, particularly farmers whose livelihoods depend on standing crops and families whose homes are vulnerable to damage.

The demand for quicker compensation and the reopening of forest nurseries has placed the focus on the forest department’s response to wildlife-related losses and the need for practical measures to reduce the burden on affected communities.