The frustration with the “wild boar problem” was visible on Thursday as several farmers took to streets in Sathanur town in Ramanagaram district demanding that they be allowed to kill the animals raiding crops.
With pressure having mounted from farmers and local political representatives, the Department of Forests recently allowed farmers to shoot wild boars without taking permission. However, a written circular has not yet reached the wildlife ranges in the district which border the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, and this saw angry farmers confronting forest officials at Sathanur.
“The population of wild boars have exploded in these areas, and crop loss is going up. They have become a menace. Allowing farmers to kill boars is one way of controlling their population,” said Kodihalli Chandrashekar, president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, who believed that the order would not lead to implications on wildlife conservation.
The rule, however, remains controversial as environmentalists said it was “not only ill-conceived, but also sets a bad precedence” when it comes to dealing with man-animal conflict.
K.M. Chinnappa and Praveen Bhargav, trustees of Wildlife First, said the order “opened up a Pandora’s box” with “grave” consequences to wildlife, and was a violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. “Though the order grants permission to hunt, no such power has been vested with the government under the Act. It states under Section 12 that the State government can grant permission for translocation and population management of wild animals (other than those listed in Schedule I), but without killing or destroying,” the NGO said.
There are better ways of dealing with the conflict, they said. “In order to adequately deal with the issue of crop loss, we urge the government to compensate farmers suffering crop loss from all wild animals, including wild pigs. A special fund can be created, and applications processed under Sakala,” said a letter written by the organisation.
Similarly, M.R. Desai, Honorary Wildlife Warden of Bagalkot, expressed fears that similar political pressure could lead to orders against other protected animals considered pests by farmers.
‘Warranted’
Even senior forest officials termed the order, issued by the State government rather than the Department of Forests, as “unnecessary and unwarranted”. “This is an aberration to the conservation measures taken by the State. There are other ways of dealing with wild boars or animals causing crop damage,” said an officer.
Before the order, there had been instances of desperate farmers killing boars that entered their farmlands. But, the Department of Forests rarely slapped them with criminal cases or prosecuted them.
“No farmer wants to kill boars without reason. By not prosecuting them in most cases, there was a balance between farmer sentiments and conservation,” said the officer.
