JANGAON: Wild boar and monkeys are having a free run on the farms in villages in the Jangaon district, destroying crops. The worried farmers have made representations to authorities to rein them in, but no action has so far followed.
Farmers have raised paddy, jowar, groundnut, pulse crops and cotton on their farms. Most of the crops are to be harvested in November and December months. As misfortune would have it, wild boar and monkeys are destroying crops, particularly in Bachannapet, Devaruppula Mandal, Chilpur, Pasarmadla and Narmetta villages in the district.
A Sampath, a farmer from Thatikonda village in Ghanpur Mandal, said, “The number of wild boar and monkeys has increased lately and they are destroying cotton, groundnuts, and pulses in the fields. When we represented our problem to the officials, they advised us to set up fencing which we cannot afford. Many farmers are struggling to protect their crops.”
Jangaon and Hanamkonda District Forest Officer (DFO), J Vasanthi told TNIE that she would ask forest range officers to inspect the damaged crops and set up traps with nets and wires to catch the boars. “If we see wild boar in packs, we will send the proposals to higher officials for shooting orders,” she said.
Few villages bear the brunt
Most of the crops are to be harvested in November and December months. As misfortune would have it, wild boars and monkeys are destroying crops, particularly in Bachannapet, Devaruppula Mandal, Chilpur, Pasarmadla and Narmetta villages in the district