PANJIM: The State government has refuted claims of proposing the wild boar as a vermin animal even as Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant announced initiating the process to declare the animal as vermin.
In response to a writ petition, which stands disposed by the High Court of Bombay at Goa, Advocate General Devidas Pangam said no decision or proposal has been made to declare wild boar as vermin.
“…as yet, there has been no decision taken and there is no proposal made as apprehended by the petitioner,” the AG said, replying to the petition challenging government’s purported decision on the issue.
Surendra Samant had moved the High Court raising concerns on the same while supporting his claim with newspaper clippings.
The Division Bench comprising Justice S P Deshmukh and Justice M S Sonak questioned the petitioner if he had
approached the decision-making authorities to which the reply was negative.
The High Court, as such, disposed the petition stating it “appears to be premature and, thus, is being disposed of, leaving it open for the petitioner to make a proper approach as and when occasion therefor arises.”
Sawant last month had stated that he had directed Forest Department to expedite the process to declare wild boar as vermin animal owing to man-animal conflict and destruction of crops.
