MARGAO: After the huge backlash over the government’s idea of declaring the national bird as vermin, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has stated that the population of wild animals has increased in the absence of old traditions of animal killing.
In view of the news coverage by national and international news agencies, followed by social media outrage, the Chief Minister was forced to make a statement on the issue.
“The State government may declare wild boar and monkeys as vermin after assessment. However, there are complaints of damage to farms also by Indian bison and peacocks, but these will not end up getting classified as vermin animals,” said Parsekar.
He also said that the arguments of animals entering residential areas due to deforestation were “not true as the forest cover in Goa had in fact increased”.
He further said, “In the past, there were ‘Cacadors’ or hunters and also some traditional practices, which used to kill wild boars. There was a tribe called ‘Wanarmaari’, which killed the monkeys in the wild. These old times have subsided and due to non-killing, the numbers of these animals have increased. They need to be eliminated by declaring them as vermin.”
Social media was abuzz with the peacock issue on Friday and Saturday. Several people have expressed anger at the insensitive handling of a sensitive issue of wildlife by the State Government.
