Nom-Panang villagers receive compensation for crop damages

MANGAN, 23 July: The Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management provided compensation for crop damages to 28 houses of Nom-Panang village of Saffo Passingdang GPU in Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim today. Wild bears entering from Lingdem and Leek Reserve Forest had earlier caused damages to the standing crops such as maize and other vegetables of the Nom-Panang villagers.
The compensation was handed over to the villagers in the presence of ST Lachungpa (ACF KNP) along with TW Lachungpa (Range Officer KNP), ward panchayat, Tshering Lepcha and other forest officials. On the day, forest officials urged the villagers not to kill the wild animal as the department is providing compensation for damages caused by such animals.
Also on the day, eight villagers of the Lingthem-Lingdem were provided compensation for cattle lost to wild bear attacks. It may be mentioned here that the village of Nom-Panang is often at risk of such attacks by wild animals which have damaged crops and killed livestock in the past.
It was informed that a team from the Forest department headed by the DFO North, Sugen Saring visited the spot where attacks were reported from. The villagers were also provided with fire crackers in order to keep wild animals off their fields.