PANJIM: The Goa unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has
demanded that Agriculture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar be arrested if case there is
any poaching of peacocks and bison in the State. AAP said Tawadkar’s statement
that these species are being considered to be added to the list of vermin can
send a wrong message to the people that they are free to kill these animals.
“AAP demands that if an killing of peacock or gaur (Indian
Bison) takes place now, then the government should hold minister Tawadkar
responsible and arrest him for prosecution as per the law that the minister is
planning to undermine,” AAP Goa convenor Walmiki Naik said addressing media
persons.
Tawadkar had said the government may list the Indian bison
and peacock as vermin as there are complaints from farmers that the animals are
destroying crops.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, however, clarified that
there is no plan to list the peacock as vermin.
“The peacock is India’s National bird and the gaur is Goa’s
State animal, and both these species enjoy protection under Schedule I of the
Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” Naik pointed out.
“The killing of schedule I species is strictly prohibited
and as per section 51 (1-A) attracts imprisonment which may extend up to seven
years and also a fine which shall not be less than Rs 10,000,” he said.
AAP said gaurs are listed as vulnerable species in the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list. “Wildlife
experts suggest that every month two-three gaurs are killed in Goa by farmers
or poachers, hence the shocking suggestion by someone of the stature of a
minister could be misconstrued as a licence to indiscriminately kill and
further threaten the very existence of the State animal,” he said.
AAP has demanded that Tawadkar immediately withdraw his
suggestion and issue a clarification that any person causing harm to peacocks,
gaurs or other protected species will be punished.
Naik said the minister should announce the location of the
affected plantations and prove that peacocks and gaurs encroached into the
plantation.
AAP also demanded that the government make budgetary
provision to provide immediate assistance to farmers who have been genuinely
suffering losses due to bird and animal attacks.
