Hyderabad: Sarpanches in Telangana state are authorised to engage shooters from a list of 30 empanelled hunters to cull wild boars destroying crops in their village limits.
However, the expensive hunting safaris some of the hunters embark on is likely to come undone.
A group from among the 30 listed hunters, on Thursday, submitted a representation to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and Chief Wildlife Warden R. Shobha declaring that they would hunt the wild boar for free.
This group, according to a news release from the forest department, has informed the PCCF that “it had come to their notice that some shooters were demanding money for shooting wild boars. We are willing to take part in the culling, spending our own money and on a voluntary basis”.
In a signed letter to the PCCF, this group said where possible, they will take up culling within 48 hours of a request from a sarpanch. They informed the department that they “were not party to the decision wherein a certain shooter has requested money for culling of wild-pigs in farmer’s fields”.
This move, according to some hunters, opens up the possibility of ‘we will hunt for free’ group using its ‘voluntary participation’ to not to act with the responsibility required for this culling.
“Culling of wild boar requires discipline and a proper plan. It is not a weekend outing to the fringes of forest armed with a powerful gun and ammunition,” Pervaram Santhaji, one of the hunters said.
A senior forest department official said when the idea was first mooted and the hunters came on board, they gave an undertaking that their participation will be voluntary without any expectations of remuneration.
On fears that some of the wealthy hunters will end up treating the wild boar culling as a sport, as they do while on a African wildlife hunting safaris, the official said, “Just because our orders permit culling by private individuals, it does not mean they will have a free run. The orders can be rescinded anytime. And if any hunter violates any provision of the Wildlife Protection Act (such as hunting other wildlife under the guise of culling wild boar) they will face the full force of the Act.”
One of the empanelled hunters, Amit Sanghi said: “We are doing this because the government has asked us to. Also, we are doing it to put an end to the hardships that farmers are facing because of the vermin (wild boar).”
Erraballi Pradeep Kumar Rao said he is in possession of a gun that is licensed. He said he is taking this up as a responsibility to serve farmers by culling marauding wild boar. “The sarpanch of the gram panchayat has been given the powers to ask hunters to shoot the pigs. So, if the farmers take us to the spot, we will kill the pigs. We do not have the power to shoot anywhere and everywhere,”he said.
