500 wild tusker victims in Jhapa waiting for financial support

The victims of the wild elephant attack in Jhapa have complained of not getting any help for long. However, the Division Forest Office has said that it is making efforts to provide them with financial support.

Five hundred and thirty-three families who have suffered losses since July of the current financial year have not received relief so far despite several requests.

Archana Puri, information officer of Division Forest Office Jhapa, said that a request has been made through the Directorate of Forests in Dharan to provide a relief amount of Rs 12.6 million to the victims. She said that the office has requested relief money for 321 families in the first phase and 212 families in the second phase. So far, the relief amount has not been received.

“We keep getting calls from the victims asking about relief money. We are assuring the victims that they will soon get it,” she said. As of October 19, Rs 5.8 million 28 thousand and 940 relief money was requested for 321 victim families, and Rs 6.8 million 20 thousand and 452 was requested for 212 more people on February 12.

Among those requested for relief, Rs 5 million is for the five dead, Rs 851 thousand and 892 is for the seven injured, Rs 10 thousand is for one cattle killed in an elephant attack, Rs 2.5 million 49 thousand and 700 is for the compensation of the damage caused to various households and Rs 689 thousand and 600 is for the loss of stored grain.

Similarly, the compensation requested for the damage caused by elephants to crops is Rs 3 million 548 thousand and two hundred, according to the Division Forest Office.