Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (MS)
Kasargod, Nov 1: In the meeting that was held in the city on Saturday, October 31 of the district level development committee, divisional forest officer (DFO) informed that a final decision with regards to giving permission to shoot wild boars that are damaging the crop as well as posing danger to the lives of agriculturists will be given soon.
Forest officer Anup Kumar said that any complaints should be brought to the notice of respective zonal officers through an application. So far the department has not received any applications in this connection.
Anup Kumar further said, "Permission will be given to shoot wild boars in accordance with forest laws. The permission will be for a period of six months. If the wild boars are shot keeping in mind the law such people will be rewarded with Rs 1,000."
"Tamed elephants will be used to send back the wild elephants, which comes into an area inhabited by human beings, to the forest. In order to control the menace of wild monkeys, cages will be kept to trap them. They will be castrated and left-back in the forest," he added.
"The forest department personnel, who have visited the areas, where the crop is damaged have realized that a huge amount of crop is destroyed by wild animals. According to the 2008 census, there are no wild elephants in the district. However, it is noticed that eight elephants from reserve forests of Karnataka have strayed into the district in search of food. The discussion will be held with the officials of the Karnataka forest department to send them back to the forest."
It was decided to hold a meeting between people representatives and forest officials on November 5 through video conferencing.
The meeting was presided over by DC Dr D Sajith Babu, MLAs M C Qamaruddin, N A Nellikunnu, K Kunhiraman, zilla panchayat president AGC Basheer, representative of MPs A Govindan Nair, additional Bailiff N Devidas, deputy DC D R Meghashree, zone B revenue officer Shamshuddin, Kasargod development special officer E P Rajmohan, DFO Anup Kumar, PWD road section executive engineer Vinod Kumar, building section executive engineer Mohammed Muneer, LSGT executive engineer Santhosh Kumar and officials of various departments were present.