Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to declare wild boar as ‘vermin’ (nuisance animal), as the animal causes damage to agricultural crops and properties.
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During a review meeting held with officials of the Forest Department on Monday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also informed about the survey to be undertaken of the forest areas to settle the claims under the Forest Rights Act.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, Sawant said, “The government has decided to declare wild boar as ‘vermin’ as one of the measure to curb animal-human conflict.
“Directions have been issued to the department to expedite the process to declare wild boar as ‘vermin’,” he said.
Once an animal has been declared as vermin it can be hunted and killed with no consequences.
The proposal to declare certain animals as ‘vermin’ has been pending for over five years. In 2015-16, several farmers group had made representations to the government proposing four animals to be declared as ‘vermin’ – wild boar, red faced monkey (Rhesus Macaque), langur monkey (Presbytis Entellus) and porcupine (Hystrix Indica). They said that all these animals were creating a nuisance and huge crop damage.
Meanwhile, the meeting also decided to undertake a detailed ground survey of the forest land to settle Forest Rights cases.
“The survey will give a clear ground picture. It will also help us to speed up and settle the claims under Forest Rights without any hindrance,” Sawant said.
The meeting also discussed various reforms to be initiated including e-governance and recruitments in the departments.
