New Delhi: The central government has belatedly assured the Kerala government that if required it would consider the state's demand for declaring wild boar a vermin so as to allow culling. Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran called on Union Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to apprise the seriousness of the situation.
Wild boars that attack human beings and cause large-scale destruction to crops have become a major menace in several parts of Kerala.
So far there had been no response from the Centre on the letters sent by the state seeking the listing of wild boars as vermins.
During the meeting, the Union minister apprised Saseendran of the difficulties in allowing uncontrolled shooting down of wild boars.
The State’s demand for granting special permission for two years would be considered after examining the legal aspects involved in the matter.
During his meeting, Saseendran also submitted a memorandum to the central minister, seeking Rs 670 crore assistance for determining borders of forests in the state and creating a proper habitat in the forests for wild animals to prevent their incursion into villages and towns in search of prey and water.
A meeting of officials of the central government and representatives of the state government would be convened to discuss the matter.
The meeting is scheduled to take place in the presence of the Union minister who is expected to visit Kerala later this month or next month.
In July, the Kerala High Court permitted the killing of wild boars in the agricultural land of a few farmers as the steps taken by the state government to curb the menace had not yielded any results.
Compensation hike another demand
Kerala's demand for raising the compensation amount for those facing attacks from wild animals is also under the central government's consideration.
Kerala has also sought a special central package of Rs 620 crore for putting in place a scheme to check the attacks of wild animals in the state.
The Centre would bear 60 per cent of the expenses involved in implementing the scheme and the remaining would be contributed by the state government.
The Union Minister assured that the centre would consider Kerala's demand for providing Rs 15 crore in the next financial year for the digitisation of the documents pertaining to the forest boundary.
Forest Department principal secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha and Forest Department chief PK Kesavan also attended Monday's meeting in New Delhi.
