The issue of slow progress in regulated culling of wild boars that were invading farmlands dominated the monthly grievance redress meeting held here on Friday.
Several farmers complained that shooting down a handful of wild boars by the officials of Department of Forest does not amount to keeping the wild boar menace under check. They complained that thousands of wild boars were living in the water bodies and amidst wild growth around the irrigation tanks.
With the intrusion of the wild animals that destroy crops becoming an every day affair, the farmers expressed apprehension that if the situation was allowed to continue it would lead to shortage of foodgrains.
When the farmers complained that many village administrative officers were unaware about their role in identifying the farmlands affected by wild boars and taking steps to recommend for culling of the animals, Virudhunagar Collector N. O. Sukhaputra who chaired the meeting intervened and said that efforts would be taken to include VAOs and panchayat secretaries in the teams for taking quick action on wild boar issue.
Vijayamurugan of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association alleged that the process of giving crop loans was being inordinately delayed by cooperative societies. The bank officials were insisting on producing gold jewellery as collateral for the loans.
