17 Children Killed in Wildlife Attacks in Tanahun Over 9 Years

Tanahun. 17 children have lost their lives in wildlife attacks in Tanahun. The Division Forest Office has stated that 38 incidents have occurred due to human-wildlife conflict during this period.

From 2074 to 082 BS, 21 local residents were injured in such incidents. Bandipur Rural Municipality has suffered the most human casualties due to wildlife attacks.

Information Officer and Forest Officer Rajkumar Shrestha informed that 7 children died and 4 were injured in 11 incidents in that location.

According to him, 5 people died and 9 were injured in 14 incidents in Bhanu Municipality. Most incidents were caused by leopards, while some were caused by bears and monkeys. In 6 incidents in Byas Municipality, 2 people died and 4 were injured.

Similarly, in Shuklagandaki, 2 people died and 1 was injured in three incidents. In 3 incidents in Aabukhairani Rural Municipality, one person died and 2 were injured, and in one incident in Myagde Rural Municipality, 1 person was injured.

Most of the children who died and were injured were due to leopard attacks, while injuries from bear and monkey attacks were negligible.

According to the Directive on Relief Assistance for Wildlife Damage 2080, victims or their legal heirs must submit an application to the concerned body within 35 days for relief if damage is caused by elephants, rhinos, tigers, bears, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, wolves, wild dogs, wild boars, wild buffaloes, marsh crocodiles, pythons, and Gaurigai.

The Division Forest Office has stated that a provision exists to provide up to Rs 20,000 for medical treatment expenses for individuals who sustain minor injuries from wildlife.

Division Chief Manoj Ranabhat informed that for those severely injured, if the cost exceeds Rs 2 lakh, the entire treatment cost will be borne by the Government of Nepal upon treatment in a government hospital and recommendation from the same hospital.

According to him, a lump sum relief amount of Rs 5 lakh will be provided for livelihood to individuals who become permanently physically disabled due to such incidents or their legal heirs. In case of human death, a relief amount of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to the dependent family of the deceased.

If a severely injured person dies within 35 days after being discharged from the hospital due to the same cause, or dies while continuously ill in the hospital, the nearest legal heir of the deceased will be provided with the full treatment cost and Rs 10 lakh relief. It has been reported that no such incidents have occurred in the current fiscal year.