PANAJI
The State government has admitted it has not taken any steps to collaborate with the Forest Department or wildlife experts to address the issue of crop damage caused by wild animals, even as it continues to offer subsidies to farmers for fencing and repellents.
In a reply to a starred question by Poriem MLA Deviya Rane, Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik stated that the Department is implementing the “Assistance for Fencing” scheme under which registered farmers receive 75-90 per cent financial assistance for various types of fencing, including stone wall, barbed wire, GI or synthetic chain link or wire mesh, hybrid fencing and solar-powered battery fencing.
The Minister also informed that crop compensation is provided to registered farmers under the “Shetkari Adhar Nidhi” scheme to cover losses due to wild animal attacks, and a 75 per cent subsidy on the standard or actual cost (whichever is less) for monkey repellents.
However, in response to questions on whether the government has taken steps to collaborate with specialists or experts, the Forest Department or considered ecological interventions such as buffer zones with fruit trees or planting in fragmented forest areas, the Minister replied, “no.”
To a query on whether the government had studied the predator-prey ratio to devise any solutions, Naik also replied in the negative.
The reply stated that during village-level meetings, farmers had indicated a preference for electric fencing over ultrasonic repeller systems.
“During the village-level meetings, it was found that farming communities generally accept Electric Fencing over Ultrasonic Repeller Systems due to the following reasons. It is a highly effective physical barrier against wild animals, covering large areas efficiently. In contrast, Ultrasonic Repeller Systems have a limited effective range, wherein animals may become habituated over time, reducing their effectiveness. It also requires a reliable power supply and technical maintenance,” the reply added.
