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

Image for representational purpose only.

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.