COIMBATORE: Stating that wild boars were devouring crops, farmers have appealed to the State government to control their population or take steps to prevent them from entering farmlands.
P Kandasamy, general secretary of the farmers association (non-political), said,"Following persistent demand to control wild boar population, the State government in September 2017 passed a GO directing Forest department to cull the animals for a period of one year. But no measures have been announced since."
He added, "It is not only farmers near forest areas but also those in 10km-radius of forests are affected by this menace. A pack of more than ten wild boars can destroy an acre of cultivation in a single night."
P Rajkumar, a farmer from Arumugakavundanur, said, "I had planted 1,000 saplings of banana plantain on two acres out of seven acres. I purchased each sapling for Rs 30 and the labour cost for planting was `10 per sapling. Including transportation and fertilizer, I spent rs 55,000 in total. But, all the saplings were damaged within 15 days of the plantation. Wild boars have entirely destroyed them. I asked the forest department for compensation. They visited the field but there has been no development on this matter so far."
When contacted, a senior official from the forest department said, "As per the law, we cannot kill the animal. The state government has to amend the law to allow it. However, we have sent data on the wild boars' crop damage. It is up to the State government to take any action.