the goan I network
VALPOI
Accusing the State government of failing to pay attention to the vermin issue in Sattari taluka, unhappy farmers have decided to raise the issue at several Gram Sabhas in different panchayats of Sattari taluka on August 15.
Speaking to The Goan, the aggrieved farmers said they had been repeatedly requesting the government to declare wild boar, bison and monkeys as vermin, as the animals had destroyed their fields and plantations since the last 10 years.
Farmers said they had even approached political parties and their leaders to seek justice in the matter, but complained the government had not paid serious attention to their grievances and demands.
Ashok Joshi, a progressive farmer from Sattari taluka said: “We have been struggling for justice since the last 10 years but authorities are least bothered about our plight. “
“Farmers are becoming increasingly helpless as the wild animals have increased and are destroying our fields and plantations, but nothing is being done to address our concerns,” said Joshi.
“The unhappy farmers have decided to raise the issue during gram sabhas of various panchayats in Sattari taluka on August 15,” he added.
He said the farmers were also considering a PIL in the high court to seek justice.
“Over 5,000 farmers are suffering because of the wild animal nuisance and our agricultural production is also on the decline because of these pests,” Joshi said.
Another agriculturist Rama Sawant from Koparde-Sattari said they had invested a lot of time, money and effort to cultivate their farms.
“However since the last five years, our efforts have gone down the drain because the wild animals have destroyed our farm. We have been requesting the government to seriously look into the matter, but political parties and their leaders only seem to be raising this issue for political benefit during election,” Sawant said.
Farmers said resolutions passed at the gram sabhas would then be forwarded to the Governor Mridula Sinha, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Agriculture Minister Vijay Sardesai and other authorities.
