COIMBATORE: Farmers in Coimbatore demanded the district administration to provide subsidies to fence their farms to protect from the growing menace of wild boars.
This demand was raised by farmers at the grievance day meeting chaired by M Sharmila, District Revenue Officer (DRO) in the Collector office on Wednesday.
“Population of wild boars has increased manifold in Thondamuthur, Madukkarai and Boluvampatti forest ranges. Hundreds of animals invade the farms and destroy crops causing huge financial loss to farmers. They could not be controlled even through solar fencing of farms,” said Su Palanisamy, president of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, in a petition submitted to authorities.
The farmers lamented that their demand seeking permission to kill wild boars similar to Kerala has not been considered by the state government. “Until a permanent solution is found, a subsidy should be given to erect strong mesh fencing for a height of five feet around farms to protect crops from wild boar menace,” he added.
An increase in the population of wild boar has also led to frequent incidents of poaching and eventually turned a death trap for wild elephants.
On Wednesday, five men were arrested by the forest department for killing a wild boar using a country made bomb in Periyanaickenpalayam forest range and seized its meat. Acting on information, the staff arrested U Krishnasamy, V Maruthan, M Rangasamy,M Appayyan and P Vellingiri for poaching a wild boar using explosives.