Stipend handed over to students losing parents to human-wildlife conflict

Kathmandu, June 23

Scholarships were given away to students from families affected by human–wildlife conflict who lost parents due to wild animal attacks. Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Geeta Chaudhary, handed over scholarships of Rs 10,000 each to students from the affected families at a programme held here today at the National Parks Office. The stipend has been provided to students from grades 1 to 12 who lost their parents due to attacks by tigers, bears, rhinos, and elephants at different times.

The minister’s secretariat has stated that out of the nine students receiving the scholarship amount, four have continued it this year as well. The children who got the scholarship amount are from the disadvantaged and affected families in the areas of Paupandav, Baghauda, Raiwa, Budhirapti, Meghauli, Kerunga, Ayodhyapuri Buffer Zone Consumer Committee and Mrigkunja Buffer Zone Community Forest Consumer Committee near the protected area.

The National Park has brought this programme in collaboration with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), targeting very poor families who have been contributing to conservation amid high risks of wildlife at the local level. While distributing the scholarships, Minister Chaudhary expressed her belief that financial support would provide additional help in the education of children from families affected by wildlife attacks and mostly those from the economically disadvantaged community.

On the occasion, Minister Chaudhary mentioned that the government is sensitive to the distress experienced by residents of the buffer zone areas and is continuously striving to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the long term and ensure proper relief and compensation for those affected.

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