Forest dept to cull wild boars to save crops, says TN govt

The submission was made on a plea moved by AR Gokulakrishnan of Kodaikanal Taluk which claimed that despite the Government extending the powers conferred on the Chief Conservator of Forests to the Forest Range Officers to shoot the wild boars, the menace is yet to be curtailed.

However, the first bench comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy disposed the plea after recording the GO whereby the period of culling of wild boars that are causing destruction to the crops in the agricultural fields has been issued and has been extended to 11 forest divisions.

“Having perused the said Government Orders, we are satisfied that appropriate steps have been taken by the Government and we expect that this project undertaken by the Government will be continued in order to preserve the agricultural fields, wherever such problem erupts by taking appropriate steps for culling of wild boars who are capable of destroying crops in the State of Tamil Nadu,” the bench said.

The petitioner had contended that the wild boar menace has not been curtailed and the steps taken by the forest department has not been made known to the public. The implementation of the GOs in culling out such wild boars has not been effectively done affecting the farmers in Dindigul and Kodaikanal Forest division, he added.