Palghar bull shark attack victim to get compensation

The 34-year-old with his ten-year-old daughter Vaishnavi, his mother and wife Vaishali

Taking note of a mid-day report highlighting the plight of 34-year-old Hitesh Govari, who lost his left leg after a close encounter with a bull shark in Palghar district, the Maharashtra forest department has decided to compensate the survivor despite the fish not featuring on the government wildlife list.

The Palghar Forest Department will soon submit a proposal for compensation.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife West), Dr V Clement Ben had personally taken note of this incident and had instructed authorities, including the chief conservator of forest (CCF), Thane forest department (territorial) to look into the matter and see what could be done as per the law.

Shark attack survivor Hitesh Govari at his residence in Manor. Pics/Ranjeet Jadhav

On March 4, mid-day in the report ‘Bull shark not on govt wildlife list; no relief for man who lost leg' revealed that despite Govari's severe injuries, Maharashtra compensation laws related to human-wildlife conflict do not cover incidents involving bull sharks.

Govari has been awaiting the acknowledgement of his case as an exceptional circumstance and he has appealed to the forest department to empathise and consider his case a special one.

The 34-year-old with his ten-year-old daughter Vaishnavi, his mother and wife Vaishali

Govari opened up to mid-day about his traumatic experience and struggle to receive compensation. The sole breadwinner of the family, Govari was concerned about the future of his two kids, wife and an old mother.

Much-needed assistance

After the story was published, financial help started pouring in for Govari. "I am grateful to the generous people who came forward to help me with finances. I have received close to Rs 1.70 lakh so far, and with this amount, I will be able to cover my family's monthly expenses as well as some part of the medical costs. I will shortly submit all medical reports to forest department officials in Palghar and once again urge them to view my case as a special one and provide me with the compensation that is awarded to people permanently disabled due to human-wildlife conflict."

Shark attack survivor Hitesh Govari at his residence in Manor

DepartmentSpeak

Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF), Palghar, Madhumitha S said, "We will evaluate the shark bite occurrence in which Govari lost his left leg and became permanently disabled as a unique instance, and a recommendation for compensation will be forwarded to the higher authorities shortly. We recently received an application from the victim demanding compensation, and we are awaiting some additional documentation before forwarding the proposal."

Rs 1.70 lakh
Aid received by Govari from well-wishers