Wild boar menace grows due to shortage of licensed shooters in Kozhikode district

The shortage of licensed shooters has badly affected the legal culling of the growing wild boar population in the upland areas of Kozhikode district. Farmers from the affected panchayats allege that their demand for more gun licences and the formation of more local panels of licensed shooters is yet to be approved by the district administration.

Heads of some grama panchayats claim that they have to wait for long periods for shooters to become available to address farmers’ grievances. The shortage of funds to cover the expenses of empanelled shooters or those brought in from other locations is equally troubling the local bodies.

“We have to pay ₹3,500 to a shooter to cull a wild boar. Many local panchayats are in a position where they have to set aside huge funds to manage this crisis independently. We have already drawn the authorities’ attention to the need for financial assistance in the area,” says Kodenchery grama panchayat president Annakkutty Devassia. She points out that the lack of shooters continues to be a major concern amid the other financial crises.

Koodaranhi grama panchayat authorities say the restrictions on crossing local body boundaries while carrying out special drives to cull wild boars continue to be another major hurdle. According to them, licensed shooters are not allowed to cross the boundaries after securing permission from a particular panchayat, which further hampers culling operations.

Some grama panchayat authorities have also cited the complicated legal and procedural restrictions on culling wild boars. As several departments are involved in the process, many find it difficult to carry out the operations on time. Also, some licensed shooters are unhappy with the existing remuneration for the job, which also involves the legal disposal of the hunted animal.

District-level panel

Meanwhile, leaders of various farmers’ organisations point out that the formation of a district-level panel of shooters would help resolve the crisis in the sector. They argue that the existing restrictions on granting new gun licences or renewing existing ones should be removed to enable farmers themselves to fight the menace.

Johnson Kulathingal, general secretary of the Kerala Karshaka Union, says the State government should intervene to grant new gun licences to eligible farmers. The demand for the formation of a district-level panel of shooters should be given immediate attention, as it could help address the shortage of shooters in villages, he adds.

According to one of the empanelled shooters, there are only below 180 gun license holders in Kozhikode district of which many are yet to be granted the renewal option. The order to surrender guns during elections is actually continuing to be a reason to the gradual denial of license renewal requests, he laments.  

At the same time, Revenue department sources point out that new gun licenses can not be granted without sticking to the stringent screening procedures. They also clarify that the formation of a district-level panel of shooters will not be possible without the approval of the State government, which is yet to come up with a formal order.