Give funds for culling boars: Shooters to Telangana government

HYDERABAD: Shooters and wildlife experts in Telangana demanded the government allot funds for culling wild boars and also said that the meat should be utilised instead of being buried. The government has issued a GO stating that with permission of village sarpanches, the shooters can kill wild boar in the agriculture fields.
Telangana Wild boar Menaced Farmers Association founder and shooter Pervaram Santhaji said, “It is a half baked GO that delegated problem to the sarpanches.Where are the budgetary provisions? Sarpanchs need to organise stay and food for the shooters and forest officers.
As per the GO, FDO rank official have to do panchanama of the wild boar after it is shot dead and before burial. For digging the trenches, who will give money? In Kerala, each farmer is paid Rs 1,000 for every wild boar culled as part of the incentive for effort. In Bihar for burying nilgai, Rs 750 is paid and Rs 1,250 is paid for sarpanch. In Punjab, meat is allowed for consumption but not for sale,”
Santhaji added, “The GO is not clear on setting up special monitoring cell and there is a need to set up interdepartmental coordination committee.”
Telangana State wildlife board member Rajeev Mathew said, “There is a huge protein deficiency in the country. Instead of burying the meat, it should be utilised. Allowing shooters who cull the wild boar to take meat is like an incentive to them.”
Sharpshooter Nawab Shafat Ali Khan expressed a mixed opinion, saying, “The GO is long overdue as farmers were suffering. It is a relief for them. But from a conservation angle, there are fears that it will become uncontrollable.”