Kerala panchayats fail to pay shooters hired to cull wild boars

Local bodies across Kerala are dragging their feet on paying licensed shooters hired to tackle the rampant wild boar menace, leaving volunteers frustrated and forcing several to withdraw from the initiative. While the state government expanded the project across Kerala to control the surging wild boar population, the lethargy of local panchayats in disbursing the promised remuneration has brought the culling drive to a virtual standstill.

According to Forest Department data, wild boars are now present in over 90% of panchayats in the state. Once confined to hilly and forested terrains, these animals have now invaded more areas, destroying crops and posing a severe threat to public safety. In response to this growing crisis, the state had authorised local bodies to employ licensed shooters to cull the animals, offering ₹1500 per wild boar.

The Arms Licensees Association has urgently called for the immediate release of these pending payments. Members point out that the government-stipulated reward of ₹1500 is already highly inadequate given the dangerous and gruelling nature of the job. Tracking and hunting wild boars in dense undergrowth, steep rubber plantations, and treacherous terrains requires immense effort and risk. Many licensed gun owners initially volunteered for the task as a social service to help local communities, but the delay in payments has dampened their spirits.

The shooters have to spend money that far exceed the promised compensation. Carrying heavy firearms like muzzle-loaders or double-barrel shotguns on public transport is practically impossible, forcing shooters to hire taxis or use their personal vehicles. Furthermore, a single bullet costs around ₹200, and it often takes multiple rounds to bring down a single aggressive boar. Many shooters have ended up spending their own money on ammunition and fuel without receiving a single rupee in reimbursement from the local panchayats.

The risks are not just financial but physical. Tracking aggressive wild boars is highly hazardous, and several shooters have faced life-threatening situations. In the absence of any government-sponsored medical insurance or compensation scheme for injuries sustained during the hunt, injured shooters are left to pay their own hospital bills. Facing rising costs and zero support, many experienced shooters are now opting out of the culling operations, leaving rural communities vulnerable to the unchecked wild boar menace once again.