[ Indu Chukhu ]
GUMTO, 14 Apr: More than 30 mithuns have been killed by wild dogs in and around Doimukh-Gumto circle, causing distress among the mithun rearers, who are yet to receive compensation for the death of the mithuns.
After seeing a social media post regarding compensation provided by the government for mithuns killed by wild dogs, the mithun rearers of Doimukh and Gumto have established the Doimukh Gumto Circle Mithun Farmers’ Club (DGCMFC) to look into the overall aids and facilities than can be facilitated through the government.
Speaking to this daily, DGCMFC chairman Chukhu Taje informed that several mithuns have been killed by wild dogs, mostly in villages such as Sopo, Rose, Leha, Boogli-Denka, and Gumto in Doimukh area. “However, despite submitting the forms for compensation, our forms are being rejected by the forest department,” he said.
A total of 40-50 mithuns have died in attacks by wild dogs in Doimukh area.
Taje also informed about the deaths of mithuns caused by consuming herbicide used in the Harmutty tea garden. Over the weekend, four mithuns died after ingesting herbicide, bringing the total number of deaths to 21 since last year. He said that there has been no compensation from the government.
He said that attempts were made to call the general manager of the tea garden to inform about the situation but there has been no response.
“The authorities at the tea estate should at least install a barricade or cover the drainage part where the herbicide flows through drains,” he said, adding that mithuns die after drinking the water in the drains which gets mixed with herbicide and pesticide.
Taje further informed that they have already filled up the requisite forms to claim compensation after taking the signatures of the senior veterinary officer, the Doimukh sub-divisional officer, and the range forest officer (RFO), following a site visit by the Doimukh forest range RFO. He, however, informed that they were not asked to provide the geotagging pictures of the mithun carcass.
A mithun rearer and Gaon Bura of Gumto 1, Chukhu Lalin, said that his mithuns were killed by wild dogs but he still has not received compensation from the department concerned. “There should be proper coordination meetings between the mithun rearers and the forest department to find out ways to address this situation,” he said.
He said that he had 20 mithuns earlier but now it has come down to nine. “Recently, on 9 April, two of my mithuns were killed by wild dogs,” he informed. “It takes three to four years for a female mithun to bear a calf, and another year to raise the calf,” he added.
Banderdewa Divisional Forest Officer Goba Doke informed that all the groundwork and checking are being done by the RFO concerned “and only after the report submission of the RFO, it will be accordingly approved and further submitted to the PCCF through the DFO, based on eligible criteria.”
It is learnt that mithun rearers in places such as Seijosa in Pakke-Kessang district have already received compensation amounts for their mithuns killed by wild dogs. In February this year, the Pakke Tiger Reserve increased the ex gratia amount from Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000. However, many mithun rearers are not satisfied with the increased amount and want it to be at least Rs 1 lakh.
