Thiruvananthapuram: Hereafter, the local bodies adjacent to forest areas will have the power to shoot down wild boars which are found to be dangerous to the life and property of human beings.
This special power will be given strictly to the local bodies situated next to forest areas.
The State Government has sent the ordinance for the approval of Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and it will come into effect once the Governor signs it.
The local bodies should employ those who are having licensed guns for shooting wild boars to death.
The State Cabinet, however, rejected the proposal in the draft ordinance that allowed the use of hooks for killing wild boars since the Central law specifically barred it.
The Cabinet also accepted the suggestion of certain ministers that the law should be made applicable only to those local bodies lying next to the forest area.
As per the new ordinance, the gram panchayat president/municipal chairperson/corporation mayor can be designated as an honorary wildlife warden for this specific purpose.
It also proposed that the gram panchayat secretary/municipal secretary /the corporation secretary can be given powers by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the Forest Department for shooting down wild boars.
As per the existing rules, only the Chief Wildlife Warden or the Wildlife Warden designated by the former has the powers to order the said killing.
In small forest areas having a radius of 100 acres, the Forest Department itself will retain these powers.
Strict provisions
The ordinance contains strict provisions to carry out these operations.
Jana Jagratha Samithis should be formed to execute both the killing and the burial of wild boars.
The carcass of wild boars should be buried in a scientific way. The details of the operation should be entered in the register kept exclusively for it at the local bodies.
It should be also ensured that the killing of wild boars is undertaken without affecting the lives of human beings and other animals.
Explosives, poison and electric shock should not be applied for killing the animal.
Meanwhile, the Union Government has made it clear again that wild boars cannot be designated as harmful animals as per law.
In a reply to the representation given by K Muraleedharan MP raising such a demand, Union Minister for Forests Boopender Yadav Singh said that as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, the State Government can take appropriate action to act against the wild boar menace.
State Forest Minister AK Saseendran, however, said that the State Government came up with the ordinance as the Centre did not reply to three letters sent by the State Government for help.
