Karnataka govt decides to double solatium paid for wild elephant attack
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday to double the solatium paid for death due to wild elephant attack, from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.
According to a statement by the Chief Minister's office, the meeting was attended by Excise and Hassan District-in-charge Minister K Gopalaiah and other senior officials from Forest Department.
For permanent disability due to elephant attack, the meeting decided to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh increasing it from the present Rs 5 lakh; for partial disability, from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; and for injuries, from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000.
Regarding damage to property, it was decided to hike the compensation from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, while the monthly pension for permanently disabled persons has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000.
Even the amount paid for crop damage will be doubled, the statement said.
It further said that permission was granted to capture eight elephants which were creating havoc in the Sakleshpur-Belur area and to radio collar the captured tuskers in order to keep a watch on them.
Already, 23 wild elephants have been radio collared to keep a watch on their movements.
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Remarks against St Francis Xavier: Right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar gets bail
Panaji (PTI): A court in Goa on Saturday granted bail to right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar, who was arrested after he allegedly made derogatory comments against St Francis Xavier.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, granted regular bail to Khattar, currently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim for treatment of chest pain after he was shifted from the District Hospital in Mapusa two days back.
A row erupted after a video of remarks by Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, at an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
St Francis Xavier is revered as the patron saint of Goa.
The controversial remarks led to the Vasco Police registering an FIR against Khattar on charges of hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between groups.
He was detained in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, by local police. His custody was later handed over to the Goa Crime Branch, according to officials.
