STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam government has increased the ex-gratia assistance for deaths caused by human-wildlife conflict to Rs 6 lakh and directed district authorities to disburse the compensation to the next of kin of the deceased within 48 to 72 hours.
The Revenue and Disaster Management Department issued a notification on Thursday, stating that the revised compensation would come into immediate effect. The government had earlier declared wildlife depredation a state-specific disaster under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in July 2022.
According to the notification issued by the governor, the total compensation of Rs 6 lakh will be divided into two components. An amount of Rs 4 lakh will be sanctioned under the SDRF, while the remaining Rs 2 lakh will be provided under the State Own Priority Development-General (SOPD-G) fund.
The notification follows revised guidelines issued by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department on June 28, 2026, for payment of ex-gratia assistance and other compensation to victims of human-wildlife conflict.
Under the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the Revenue and Disaster Management Department will make appropriate budgetary provisions based on the number of deaths due to human-wildlife conflict in previous years in the respective districts. Advance funds will also be allocated to districts to ensure timely payment.
The procedure specifies that the Range Forest Officer concerned will act as the first responding officer and inform the local police station immediately after an incident. The jurisdictional police station will subsequently report the matter to the concerned circle officer or magistrate for conducting an inquest, with a copy of the report sent to the senior superintendent of police.
The Range Forest Officer will also submit a detailed incident report to the Circle Officer, including verification of the victim's eligibility under the revised guidelines of the Forest Department. A copy of the report will be sent to the Divisional Forest Officer concerned.
For the release of compensation, the Circle Officer must forward the police report and inquest report, the Circle Officer's own report, the Range Forest Officer's report containing eligibility verification, and the deceased's valid identification documents along with the identity and bank account details of the next of kin to the District Commissioner, who is also the chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
The DDMA will sanction and disburse the Rs 6 lakh compensation within 48 to 72 hours, according to the SOP. The compensation proposal will subsequently be placed before the Circle Level Task Force and at a subsequent DDMA meeting for ex post facto approval. The DDMAs will forward the relevant details to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for information.
In another significant provision, the government has clarified that submission of a post-mortem report will not be mandatory for sanctioning and payment of ex-gratia assistance under SDRF norms in such cases. However, the exemption will not apply to cases involving legal, criminal, suspicious or medico-legal issues, wherever the competent authority considers the report necessary.
The revised procedure aims to streamline the compensation process and ensure that families who lose their earning members in human-wildlife conflict receive financial assistance without undue delay.
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