Kerala government to relax condition to shoot wild boars

 With increase in the cases of attacks by wild boars on farmers in the forest fringe areas of the state, Kerala government has planned to relax conditions to shoot down wild boars under 'self-protection' provision.

Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has been asked to submit recommendations in this regard after holding talks with forest officials and representatives of farmers, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters after cabinet meeting which discussed the issue of man-animal conflict in the state.

Taking a serious view of the matter, the Congress-led UDF government in 2011 had issued orders to allow farmers to shoot wild boars with prior permission of the forest officials and certain formalities.

The stringent pre-firing conditions have led to various practical problems in cases of emergencies, Chandy said and citied the recent death of farmers in Kannur in a wild boar attack.
However, Chandy said relaxations would be only on conditions laid down prior to shoot and not post firing of animal. The conditions that the carcasses of the killed animal have to be subjected to post-mortem and burnt under the supervision of forest officials would not be changed, Chandy said.