Adivasis demand Rs 50 lakh compensation and job to family of farmer killed by big cat

ADILABAD: Adivasis and their leaders on Wednesday demanded that the state government pay Rs 50 lakh as compensation and provide a government job to the family of Sidam Bheem, 69, killed by a ‘big cat’ in Khanapur village of Wankidi mandal in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.

Forest officials of Asifabad were yet to confirm whether the wild animal that killed Sidam Bheem was a leopard or tiger.

Sidam Bheem belonged to the Kolam tribe, considered a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) that mainly depends on collections/cuttings of bamboo and minor forest produce for their livelihood.

Only a sum of Rs 10,000 was given to the victim's family so far and officials had promised a payment of another Rs 10,000 today but this did not materialize. The state government would pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the family and a watcher job to a family member, an official hinted.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, BJP Asifabad district vice-president and Thudum Debba district president Kotnak Vijay who met the victim's family said that the Maharashtra government pays Rs 15 lakh as ex gratia and a government job to the deceased’s family in cases like this.

He said two or three tigers were moving in the area of Wankidi on the state borders and posing a threat to the lives of the villagers who were now busy with the work of cotton harvest. 

POLICE STATIONS

Meanwhile, home minister Mahmood Ali, forest minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy, DGP Mahender Reddy, police housing corporation chairman Koleti Damodhar inaugurated the seven new police station buildings including the Kagaznagar Rural police station building and also the minority welfare hostel building in Kagaznagar.

These were built at a cost of Rs 12.30 crore.

The home minister inaugurated the Rebbena police station building at an event in which MLA Atram Sakku and ZP chairman Kov Laxmi also participated.

The ministers and local MLA Koneru Konappa went to the site of the recently collapsed bridge at Andevelli and checked whether a new bridge was required or three additional pillars would serve the purpose. They asked the R & B department to immediately submit a report on this.

The ministers also visited the Anna Dana Satram and mid-day meal hall in the government junior college being run by the Koneru Charitable Trust in Kagaznagar town.

They inaugurated the Kautala, Penchikalpet and Chinthalamanepalli police station buildings, via virtual mode, at Kagaznagar.

The ministers did not go to Wankidi to inaugurate the new police station building following the incident of a tiger killing a farmer in the same mandal on Tuesday. They feared that the adivasis may stage a protest during their visit.