the goan I network
MARGAO
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday warned that agriculture will become extinct if no solution is worked out to take care of the demands of the Sattari Shetkari Sanghathana, which has renewed its demand to declare wild boars and monkeys as vermin to save their crops.
After a delegation of the Sattari Shetkari Sanghathana called on him and handed over a memorandum demanding that wild boars and monkeys be declared as vermin, Sardesai said he will be a failure as agriculture
minister if what is happening in Sattari and other parts of the State is allowed under
his watch.
“The government has to make its stand clear. We have to accept the existence of the problem and find out a solution,” he told the media after meeting the Sattari Shetkari Sanghathana delegation.
He said a permanent solution will be worked after the return of the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from the US. “I will talk to the CM. A clear decision needs to be taken this year. I have been hearing about this problem for the last five years. The government is also aware, but there is no solution,” he added.
Sardesai said the situation was such that those into coconut production are buying coconuts in the market. We are already late, but it’s better late than never, he added
Ashok Joshi of the Sattari Shetkari Sanghathana said the delegation has conveyed to the Agriculture Minister their concern over the destruction of crops by animals. “The minister sympathised with our problems. We hope the government comes out with a proper solution,” he added.
Another member of the delegation Prashant Desai pointed out that there was a time when they used to get bumper harvest of coconuts. Now we are forced to buy coconuts from the market even for Ganesh Chathurthi, he added.
Desai wondered why the Goa government is dragging its feet on declaring wild boar and monkeys as vermins when other states already done so.
In the memorandum, the Sanghathana demanded that the government immediately declare wild boars and monkeys as vermin in Sattari taluka under Section 11 (1) (b) of WPA-1972, which empowers the PCCF/CWW of the State to take the decision rather than getting permission from the Centre under section 62 of WPA-1972.
They have also demanded appointment of an agency such as Hyderabad Wildlife Tranquil Force which comprises a team of shooters who use effective caliber weapons to cull animals.
Other demands of the Sanghathana include buffer zone for agriculture one kilometre from boundary of a wildlife sanctuary and not 10 kilometres as it has been changed for mining industry.
“This will help farmers in renewal of their old arms licenses for crop protection,” the memorandum added and called upon the forest department to immediately erect fences along the forest boundaries in coordination with local villagers. The Sanghathana also demanded payment of compensation immediately after receiving report of damage done by wild animals.
