Daltonganj: A Palamu BJP delegation met Medininagar divisional forest officer Satyam Kumar on Oct 8, seeking early compensation for crop and house damage caused by elephants, nilgais, monkeys and animals described as “Hanuman” in its memorandum.The delegation, led by BJP district president Amit Tiwary and Kisan Morcha district head Vijay Kushwaha, alleged that Medininagar forest division had failed to curb damage to property and crops.Tiwary said monkeys and Hanuman damaged baked-clay roof tiles, elephants demolished concrete and mud walls, and nilgais destroyed standing crops.The delegation also sought the reopening of govt nurseries at Kundri, Purshottampur and Rabda, stating that their closure forced residents to buy saplings from private sellers at higher prices.Kumar confirmed that the delegation had raised compensation and nursery reopening. He said the compensation process had been simplified for affected residents. Claims for damage to houses or crops require a revenue personnel’s report detailing the mouza, khata number, area damaged and roof losses caused by monkeys.He said efforts were under way to reopen the nurseries.Kumar also said herbivores such as nilgais, monkeys and elephants had shown behavioural changes, and that food and water shortages were not always responsible for their movement into human habitations. He acknowledged a sharp rise in the monkey population.Forest sources said nilgais largely entered Palamu from neighbouring Bihar, while elephants were resident in Jharkhand.BJP MP Vishnu Dayal Ram has raised the nilgai issue in Lok Sabha. His constituency covers four assembly constituencies in Palamu and two in Garhwa district.
