Ryots worry over attacks on crops

Panaji: Farmers have demanded that porcupine and flying squirrel be declared as vermin in the state. This is owing to the attacks on coconut and cashew plantations by these animals.
“Doing so, enables the government to declare them as vermin. Which in turn can allow us to take steps to defend our crops,” said one of the farmers, Ashok Joshi.
Representing the Sattari Shetkari Sangh and all Goa farmers Sangh, these farmers recently met officials from the agriculture department and forest department to place this demand.They have insisted that four animals from schedule 3 and 4 be reclassified to schedule 5. These are wild boar and monkey (rhesus macaque), besides the porcupine and flying squirrel. Under schedule 5, it makes it possible for the forest department to declare animals that are nuisance-causing as vermin.
In the past, farmers have appealed to the government to declare the wild boar, monkey, Indian bison (gaur) and peacock as vermin. The latter two cannot be declared as vermin owing to their schedule 1 status making them Indian animal species of prime importance.
The farmers have been directed to claim their losses under the Shetkari Aadhar Nidhi scheme wherein the proposals to compensate their losses are to be submitted to the agriculture department. The forms will be available at panchayats and the zonal agriculture office.
“These claims will not only be a proof of the nuisance caused by wildlife but the forest department will also have adequate data about the number of farmers affected due to such attacks; also the amount of crop loss as a result. We are hopeful that after they get the data, they can request the central government to reclassify the animals in schedule 5 for Goa,” Joshi said. The meeting was attended by farmers, Mahesh Patil, Manikrao Rane, Shrirang Dhamale, Ulhas Umarye, Ashok Joshi and Rohan Joshi.