Team Herald
PANJIM: The Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane, who was the first one to voice demanding declaring certain animals as vermin, has expressed displeasure over Government decision not to include wild monkey and wild boar in the list of nuisance allowing its killing.
The State Wildlife Board, during its meeting in October, had proposed to declare boar as vermin animal allowing its killing in `certain parts of the state’ during ‘certain season.’
“I do not understand the reason for not listing wild monkey and wild boar in this category. I was the one who had raised the issue on the Floor of the House and had demanded that these two wild species be culled,” Rane told media persons on Tuesday.
Refusing to accept the Forest Department claim that there were no major complaints of the farmers in regards to wild monkey and boar, Rane said that he does not agree to this claim. “I have been Forest Minister for over 30 years. During my tenure hundreds of complaints have come against these wild animals. In my Sattari taluka, I have seen people complaining about these species every day. They destroy plantations and sometimes even harm people,” he explained.
“Such animals need to be culled,” he added.
The State Wildlife Board will now place the proposal before the National Wildlife Board to declare wild pig as vermin animal. The villages in Sattari, Bicholim, Pernem, Sanguem and Canacona taluka would be identified where the animals can be eliminated during specific season.
Meanwhile, Rane has demanded that government need to regulate tourism industry as per the Tourist Trade Act. The former chief minister wants government to restrict the lamanis or illegal beach massage along the coastal belt.
