PANJIM: Congress on Friday said the government’s plan to list the national bird peacock and State animal gaur (Indian bison) as vermin – nuisance animal – is a “suicidal” decision and against ecology.
“It is a nuisance that you want to kill the national bird and do away with State animal. That means you want to kill ecology and wildlife,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro said addressing media persons.
“This is a suicidal decision. If animals and birds create nuisance, government should find a solution. Killing them is definitely not an option,” Faleiro added.
As reported by Herald, Agriculture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Thursday said he is assessing whether peacock and gaur can be listed as vermin as they are damaging crops in rural areas.
Following increasing man-animal conflicts causing damage to crops and endangering human life, the government last month announced that a process has been initiated to declare certain animals including monkey as “vermin”. The Chief Secretary has been directed to study the matter on declaring certain animals as vermin.
Leader of the Opposition Pratapsing Rane, who at the recent Assembly session had demanded that monkeys be declared as vermin, said there are methods by which the peacock menace can be controlled
“Peacocks (menace) can be controlled. It is not a new bird to Goa or India. It is a North Indian bird that has travelled to Goa,” Rane said.
