Little known statute offers reward for hunting animals in Karnataka

Even as the nation’s attention is riveted on legal battles the brawny film star Salman Khan is facing for killing a blackbuck in the forests of Rajasthan, the existence of a little-known statute in Karnataka that actually provides for rewards to people hunting animals has aroused the ire of wildlife activists and forest department officials.

According to a statute in the Manual of Contingent Expenditure 1958, which exists in the records of Government of Karnataka, killing of wild animals is not a crime, but a symbol of bravery, which entitles a person hunting animals to a reward money starting from Rs 2 to Rs 500.

The statute also allows the hunter, if he wishes, to keep the skin, nails, claws or any other body parts. Surprisingly, the statute in the Manual of Contingent Expenditure exists in contradiction to the Indian Wildlife Act 1972, which prohibits killing of wild animals.

Karnataka’s Principal Conservator of Forests A K Varma is planning to take up the matter seriously. “I will take suitable initiative against the Manual of Contingent Expenditure 1958”, he said. Wildlife activists and environmentalists are also planning to bring pressure on the authorities for deletion of the statute from the Manual.

Former public prosecutor Bagalahalli Vishweshwara said the statute could have become part of the Manual of Contingent Expenditure to curb wild animal menace. “Unfortunately, it is an archaic rule, which interestingly continues to exist even there is a ban on killing of wild animals. This should be deleted from the Manual of Contingent Expenditure immediately”, he opined.

The Manual prescribes reward money of Rs 2 for killing a wild pig, Rs 5 for a hyena, Rs 10 for a wolf, Rs 35 for a tiger and Rs 500 for an elephant. Applicants should produce untanned skin, teeth and claws of the killed animal along with his application to the Tahsildar or the Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner, on the basis of risk and bravery displayed by the hunter, will decide the exact reward money.