Night-time raids by wild boars damage sugarcane, potato crops

Chandigarh: Over the past few days, the threat posed by wild boars has caused considerable distress among farmers, as these animals frequently invade fields at night, resulting in significant damage to potato and sugarcane crops. While there is a mechanism in place that permits the shooting of these species with prior authorisation, farmers contend that it is cumbersome.
In parts of Punjab's Malwa region, besides the Kandi and border belts, farmers lament that the wild boars usually attack their crops at night, making it challenging to maintain a vigil during the winter months. Devinder Singh, a farmer from Rode village in Moga, said wild boars damaged his potato crop over the past few days, and he anticipated similar trouble during the next maize crop in mid-Feb. "It is very difficult to deal with the wild species as it is not possible to scare them away. They come in hordes and leave behind signs of damage to crops," he said.
"I gave a formal complaint to the wildlife department last year, and they suggested that I hire someone to have the wild boars shot down. However, it is a cumbersome procedure to get permissions from the sub-divisional magistrate and then cull the wild boars as they strike in the dead of the night. They destroy more than they can feed on. They charge us aggressively if stopped," said Charanjit Singh, another farmer from the area.
Wild boars have been giving sleepless nights to sugarcane farmers in the Abohar area, including villages like Maujgarh and Panj Kausi. The menace has dampened the spirits of farmers who have recently switched to sugarcane farming.
Sandeep Jakhar, Abohar MLA, said the menace of wild boars increased in the past 4-5 years, and there were frequent attacks over the last week. "Before that, we had not heard of such a problem, but now farmers in the area are very anxious about these night raids by wild boars," he said.
Amarjit Singh, a sugarcane farmer from Abohar, said it is believed that the wild boars came from across the fence from Pakistan, and their population has multiplied significantly over the past few years. "The wild boars are very strong and cannot be stopped by building boundary walls. Most farmers are wary of hiring hunters as the animal activists usually object to it," he said.
When contacted, chief wildlife warden, Punjab, Dharminder Sharma, said while a mechanism was already in place for permits to kill wild boars and blue bull, the state govt was also offering compensation to farmers for crop damage. "Although there has been no survey, the wild boar population appears to have stabilised due to the rise in the number of leopards," he said.
Wild boars are known to damage crops in parts of Ropar, Anandpur Sahib, Ferozepur, Patiala, Sangrur and areas close to the Shivalik foothills.
The Punjab govt announced in 2011 a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for death/permanent incapacitation, Rs 20,000 for major injury, and Rs 5,000 for medical expenses for minor injury suffered in attacks by wild animals. Later, the Centre revised the compensation amount to Rs 2 lakh for death/permanent incapacitation, 30% of Rs 2 lakh for a grievous injury, and the actual cost of treatment for a minor injury. The previous Congress govt did away with the requirement of a panchayat resolution for getting short-term permits for shooting wild boar to check damage to crops. The decision was taken by the Punjab State Wildlife Board in July 2017.
BOX
Cumbersome Culling Process
The process for obtaining permits to cull wild boars is seen as complicated and time-consuming by farmers, making it difficult to act quickly against the nocturnal raids
The wild boar problem has intensified over the last 4-5 years, with some farmers speculating that the animals may be crossing over from Pakistan
It is suspected their numbers have grown due to the lack of natural predators
While the govt permits the culling of wild boars, concerns remain about the practicality of these measures and opposition from animal rights groups
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