KOCHI: Ignoring repeated pleas, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has informed the state government that wild pigs cannot be declared as vermin as it forms the key prey base for tigers and leopards. In view of the directive from the Union ministry, the state government has decided to extend the order allowing hunting of wild pigs that destroy crops by one year from May 17, 2022, the day the existing order expires. Only farmers with licensed gun designated by range officers can kill the animal.
Meanwhile, the farmer community has alleged that the Centre is planning to remove the vermin category from the proposed amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act. “Section 62 of the proposed act states that a species can be declare vermin, but the procedures are not clear.
“The plan is to drop Schedule 5, which deals with vermin. As many as 21 people have died in wild pig attack during the past 15 months and 103 people have suffered grievous injuries. We are not demanding right to enter the forest and kill wild pigs. The wild pigs are destroying crops and the farmers livelihood has been affected,” said Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association chairman Alex Ozhukayil.
Centre had returned Forest Minister A K Saseendran’s proposal to declare wild pig as vermin on March 7, 2022. The minister had written to Minister for Environment and Forest Bhupender Yadav on March 16 urging to reconsider the decision considering the plight of farmers.In his letter to minister Saseendran dated April 12, the Union minister said that declaring wild pig as vermin would result in indiscriminate killing of the animal thereby disturbing the balance of ecosystem.
“I would like to appraise you that wild pig is one of the main prey species for large carnivores like tigers and leopard. It also helps in checking the population of invertebrate pests. Declaring wild pig as vermin would result in indiscriminate killing of the animal thereby disturbing the balance of ecosystem. The provisions of Section 11 (1) B of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 should therefore be used by the state government for specific management of wild pig without adversely affecting the state of ecosystem,” the minister said in his letter.
As per Section 11 (1) B, the Chief Wild Life Warden may, if he is satisfied that any wild animal specified in Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV, has become dangerous to human life or to property including standing crops, by order in writing and stating the reasons therefore, permit any person to hunt such animal or group of animals in a specified area.
Wild pig menace
No of farmers killed in wild pig attack: 21
No of farmers injured in wild pig attack: 103
(January 2021 to March 31, 2022)