TIRUPPUR/ERODE: The forest department has formed 12 teams in Tiruppur district to monitor wild boars and shoot them with appropriate permits as needed. A district committee headed by the District Collector and including the District Forest Officer has been constituted to monitor this.
Firearms handling training for field staff of the forest department in these teams is set to begin soon.
Sources say farmers in various districts had expressed their concern to the state government about the damage of crops by wild boars. The government recently issued an order in this regard and stated the forest department may allow the shooting of wild boars roaming in areas more than 3 km from the reserve forest area. Along with this, the government issued various guidelines to the forest department.
As per the guidelines, in Tiruppur, the forest department has now formed 12 teams to monitor and shoot wild boars.
Speaking to TNIE, B Rajesh, DFO of Tiruppur, said, "These 12 teams have been formed with two teams each per forest range. Each committee will consist of the forester of the respective village, the Village Administrative Officer, and the President of the local body. Farmers should inform this team if their farmland is affected by wild boars. The team will conduct an inspection in the relevant area. After the inspection, they will make a recommendation to the forest ranger on whether to relocate the wild boar or shoot it. Forest rangers will issue the permit after due consideration. A district-level committee headed by the District Collector and including the District Forest Officer has been constituted to monitor this."
Elaborating on the conditions, the DFO said "The shooting of wild boars roaming within 1 km of reserve forest is not allowed. "At the same time, wild boars roaming within 1 to 3 km from the reserve boundary should only be captured and relocated. Shooting of wild boars will be allowed only if they damage crops in areas more than 3 km away from the reserve forest boundary," he added.
"Currently, the details of these committees have been sent to our Head of the Department. Once permission is received from there, our field staff in the teams will be given appropriate training to shoot wild boars," he added.
Modern rifles for this purpose are to be purchased under the scheme for the modernisation of the Tamil Nadu Forest Force. After the training, each team will be given a modern rifle to shoot wild boars, sources said.
In Erode, at present, the forest department has formed 23 teams under the Erode Forest Division. It comprises the Forester of the respective village, the Village Administrative Officer, and the president or representative of the local body.
KV Appala Naidu, DFO of Erode Forest Division, said, “These teams should be formed in all villages. But currently we have only formed it in villages where it is necessary. The activities of these teams are set to begin soon. Until then, the government has issued guidelines to provide compensation if crops are damaged by wild boars.”
G Joseph, a social activist of Tiruppur, said, “Wild boars play a very important role in keeping the forest clean. Therefore, wild boars should not be shot unnecessarily. The forest department should strictly follow the government guidelines in this regard.”