Kerala HC directs Chief Wildlife Warden to permit farmers to hunt wild boars

The Kerala High Court on Friday permitted the farmers to hunt wild boars situated in their farms. Directing the Chief Wildlife Warden, the court asked the wildlife department to permit the farmers to hunt. The order was passed by Justice PB Suresh Kumar. The case was heard on the petitions of six farmers from Kozhikode, who sought directions to the Central government to declare wild boars as vermin under Section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act. In its order, the bench of Justice PB Suresh Kumar also directed the Centre to comply with the order within one month.

HC directs Kerala Chief Wildlife Warden to permit farmers to hunt wild boars

As reported by ANI, the court in its order said, "So far as it is seen that the properties of the petitioners are under threat of the attack of the wild boars and in so far as the stand of the state government is that the steps taken under Section 11(1)(b) of the act to avert the said menace did not yield any result and that the only alternative to protect the interests of the farmers is to declare wild boars as vermin in specified areas in the State, I deem it appropriate to pass an interim order directing the Chief Wildlife Warden to permit the petitioners to hunt wild boars in the areas where their agricultural lands are situated, as provided for in Section 11(1)(b) of the Act. Ordered accordingly. The direction aforesaid shall be complied with, within a month.”

Kerala HC directs Centre to declare Wild boars as vermins within one month

Kerala HC further added, "It is seen that having been convinced of the grievance voiced by persons similarly placed like the petitioners, during November 2020, the state government has requested the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India to declare wild boars as vermin in the problematic areas of the State. In terms of the provisions of the act, if wild boars are declared as vermin, they can be hunted by the persons concerned to prevent damage to their life and property. The proposal of the state government aforesaid was returned by the ministry during December 2020 suggesting to make use of the provisions contained in Section 11(1)(b) of the act for the purpose of averting the menace, utilizing the services of Panchayat Raj institutions."

The petitioners had moved to the court in November last year. As per them, they hold lands in Pathanamthitta, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, which are some of the problematic regions. Earlier, the state government took up the matter again with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to declare wild boars as vermin in the problematic areas as other efforts taken by the government didn’t work. The central government is yet to respond to the issue  

(With ANI Inputs)

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