NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Farmers across the state have urged the government that wild boar and monkey be declared as vermin, as they are destroying their agricultural produce.
A delegation of farmers from Sattari and other parts of the state led by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday met Minister for Agriculture Vijai Sardesai at the Secretariat over the issue. The farmers have also made a representation to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in this regard.
Citing various instances of agricultural produce being destroyed by wild boars and monkeys, the farmers have demanded that the state government declare these animals as vermin by issuing a notification as done by nine states like Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and others.
After the meeting, the Health Minister said that though the declaration of these animals as vermin is related to the forest department, the farmers are facing a serious problem from these animals and hence they have urged the Minister for Agriculture to take up the issue. He said that the farmers have also made a representation to the Chief Minister.
Rane said that he has taken up the long pending issue in Sattari, Sanguem and other parts of the state, as it is directly affecting the livelihood of the farmers and added that he has total faith in Sardesai that he will resolve the issue.
