Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 6: A day after Forest Minister Mian Altaf said in the Legislative Assembly that the Government pays Rs 30,000 compensation to the people injured by wild animals, a 12-year-old boy, battling for his life after been critically injured by a bear in South Kashmir, belies the Ministers claims.
An orphaned Manzoor Ahmad is battling for life in SMHS, where his elder brother, also a minor, attending him is collecting his prescription and food bills from other attendants.
Still in pain from healing wounds, Manzoor said he was on way home from school at village Ahlan Fata in Kokernag when a black bear attacked him in the compound on September 28.
“I shouted and literally fought to escape from the beast’s mouth,” he said.
“We are very poor. I sold some of belongings to purchase medicine for Manzoor despite being provided some free medicine by the hospital,” says Manzoor’s brother.
He said after the death of his father he had to abandon his studies after Class 8 to earn for the survival of other family members, including their ailing mother.
He said leave aside any compensation, nobody from the District Administration or Wildlife Department had visited us so far.
“We were told that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Forest Minister Mian Altaf have recently announced that compensation to wild animal victims has been increased. But we didn’t get a penny,” he said.
“We are being helped by our villagers and now some people help us here,” he said, adding, doctors told them they need more money for specialized treatment so that he could start his life again.
He said despite repeated requests to the district administration there was no response from them or the wildlife Department.
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