Pak wild boars give sleepless nights to border farmers

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, March 29

Pakistani wild boars have wreaked havoc on standing crop across the cobra fencing along the Indo-Pakistan border in DT Mal enclave of the Mamdot block of this district.

As the sun sets, wild boars stray into the Indian territory from across the border, ending up damaging the crops.

Karan Singh Dhaliwal, Secretary Border Kisan Union (Punjab), said, “Due to security reasons, the farmers are not allowed to stay back in their fields after evening due to which the fields are left unattended and vulnerable to attack by these wild animals.

“The problem assumes acute proportions as Pakistani nationals don’t kill these wild boars due to religious considerations and rather drive them towards Indian side,” Dhaliwal said, adding that during night, these animals in a group of 30 to 35 attack the fields and later retrieve towards the zero line.

Dhaliwal said earlier after years of dithering, the state government had decided to allow the shooting of wild animals that have been causing damage to crops for which shooting permits were issued by the Wildlife Department.

However, due to proximity to border and security concerns, even the shooting is not allowed in this area.

Demanding compensation against damage to crops, the farmers today met Deputy Commissioner Ramveer urging him to ask the Revenue Department to make assessment of the loss.

The tentative figure of wild boars in the state is around 15,000. Besides, there are another 10,000 blue bulls. Some farmers even ring their fields with live wire during night. However, the BSF personnel get them removed.