Forest department allowed to kill wild boars, Tamil Nadu government tells Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has been informed by the Tamil Nadu government that it has permitted the state forest department to shoot and kill wild boars that damage agricultural produce in nine districts of the state.

The government made the submission on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by A R Gokulakrishnan from Dindigul seeking a direction to the state to immediately take steps to control the wild boar menace as its population had increased manifold in the hilly terrains.

Recording the submission, the First Bench of Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy disposed of the plea.

According to a report from the government, the order to kill the boars was first issued on July 22, 2017, considering the issue for 12 months. Later, the order was extended on January 25, 2019, to another 12 months based on the recommendation of the forest department.

Subsequently, on May 6, the department again suggested extension of the order for a further 12 months. Therefore, the present order has been issued, the report said.

According to the petitioner, there were around 10 million boars breeding in the hilly areas. The average life-span of the boars was 8-10 years. One could see them roaming about with piglets destroying cash crops and plantations causing irreparable loss to the already suffering peasant community in almost all the 12,527 panchayats covering all the districts of Tamil Nadu, he said.

Since the authorities failed to take any step to check the menace despite his representation, the petitioner moved the High Court. In March 2016, the court recorded the recommendation made by the principal chief conservator to the Home Secretary on measures to be taken and directed the state to implement them.

But, the Home Secretary has not passed any order based on the recommendation," the petitioner said.