Kill or capture and relocate wild boars, Tiruppur farmers urge forest dept

TIRUPPUR: Farmers of Udumalaipet and Gudimangalam appeal to the forest department to kill or capture and shift wild boars saying the animals are ravaging crops.

According to official data, around 41 people-- 27 from Amaravathi Range, 12 from Udumalai Range and two from Kolumam Range-- were injured in wild boar attack and  Rs 10,20,560 were given as compensation in the last 12 years in Tiruppur district. Besides, 170 incidents of crop damage by wild boars were reported and Rs 24.18 lakh were offered as compensation to farmers in the same period.

Tamil Nadu Farmers Association (Udumalaipet) vice president SR Madhusoodan said, “For the past 10 years, farmers are troubled by the attack from wild boars. Earlier, the animals used to raid farmlands near the hill slopes. Now, they are intruding rural sections of Udumalaipet.

A large number of wild boars have been found in bushes and thorny shrubs in isolated lands. If these aren’t controlled, most of the farmlands in Udumalaipet, Gudimangalam will be lost.” K Karthikeyan a farmer from Gudimangalam, said, “I lost more than 40 coconut saplings to a wild boar attack. Many farm labourers are afraid to work in farmlands which are frequently attacked by wild boars.” Farmers also believe that wild boars attacking the maize crops have increased and added that erecting sarees fences hasn’t been effective to safeguard the crops.

An official from the Forest Department said, “A state-level team has been formed to probe the issue. We have also formed a taluk-level committee to study and analyze the movement of the wild boars. Further, people are advised to destroy the bushes and large pits, which are the safe havens of wild animals in the Tiruppur district. We have also submitted all details and appropriate solutions in this regard and recommendations to resolve the issue will be released within one week along with  the report of the state-level committee.”