Punjab to compensate for any loss caused by animals

Punjab government today said it will compensate for any damage caused to crops by animals as well as loss of life and property.
A policy has been framed by the government in this regard, Punjab Forest and Wildlife Protection Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal said in a statement here.
In case of death by snake bite, a sum of Rs 2 lakh as compensation has also been approved and covered under this policy, he said.
He said due to the effective implementation of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the number of wild animals had been on the increase in the state and due to the loss of natural habitat of animals because of construction projects, the animals had been inadvertently wandering into the fields thereby damaging the crops.

The minister also said that strong implementation of the Act has also resulted in the increase in the number of wild pigs who often damage the crops by venturing into the fields.
To keep the population of wild pigs in check, the Punjab government has framed a policy of allowing restricted hunting of pigs under which the farmers will have to intimate the number of wild pigs in their fields and get a resolution passed by their village panchayat and after that get permission for limited hunting from sub-divisional officer (civil) and concerned forest divisional officer.