Efforts to Reduce Number of Nilgais and Wild Boars in 30 Districts | Patna News – Times of India
Patna: State agriculture minister Mangal Pandey on Wednesday said that four departments would make coordinated efforts with panchayat mukhiyas to contain the menace of nilgais (Asian antelope) and wild boars that have been damaging standing crops in around 30 of the 38 districts. The govt will engage shooters for the purpose of reducing their number.
“Also called ‘ghodparas’, the nilgais roam around in groups, graze on the land with standing crops and damage them. They hide in bushes or amid grown-up stalks of crops like arhar and sugar cane, and, in the process, damage them,” he told news persons here, adding that due to their presence in large numbers, preparation of seeds has also been affected. So, the agriculture minister said, “It has become necessary to exterminate them.”
The four departments which are coordinating to tackle the nilgai and wild boar menace are environment, forest and climate change; panchayati raj; agriculture and home (police).
According to a survey conducted by the field officials of the environment, forest and climate change department, 2.95 lakh nilgais are there in 34 districts, while wild boars are found in 30.
The environment, forest and climate change department is in the process of listing hunters and shooters in 30 districts. Regional officials of the four departments will hold meetings with 10 informed mukhiyas of the districts.
Among other developments, the minister said that transplantation of paddy saplings has been done in 81% of the targetted area fixed for 2024-25 Kharif season despite deficit rainfall.
The districts, which have achieved maximum paddy transplantation, are Katihar, Saharsa, Kishanganj and Araria. The districts having lowest acreage of paddy this season so far are Jamui, Banka, Gaya, Nawada and Aurangabad.
Besides, Pandey said, around 32,000 farmers have submitted online applications for availing diesel subsidy, which are being processed for final clearance. A decision to provide diesel subsidy to the farmers was taken at a review meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar on July 25.
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