No new studies were needed to declare animals as vermins, MoEF to petitioner

DNA India , Thursday, July 14, 2016
Correspondent : NIKHIL M GHANEKAR
Sufficient information is 'generally available' on the issue of crop depredation and man-animal conflict caused by wild boars, monkeys and Nilgai and thus no added investigation like data collection, research studies were required to declare them as vermins, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC).

The ministry has said this as part of a larger reply to petitioners who have moved Supreme Court against its orders on animal culling. On June 19, during the first hearing, the SC had refused to give an interim stay on the orders of culling but asked the petitioner to point out flaws in the ministry's notifications.

In her representation, Gauri Mauleki, the primary petitioner, had said that the proposals of Uttarakhand, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh governments were inadequate and bereft of any scientific assessment or exhaustive data on crop damages caused by the animals declared as vermins. It also added that before permitting culling, neither the states nor the Centre has considered alternatives such as use of chemical or herbal sprays, population control and relocation to suitable fenced or open forest areas, as suggested by the Wildlife Institute of India in older studies on problem animals in human settlements.

In reply to the petitioner on inadequacies of state proposals, MoEFCC said that "specific points listed on state specific section of representation should be taken up with the state governments, if so desired." Maulekhi had pointed out that in Himachal Pradesh, official data showed that monkey bites had reduced and thus there was no need to declare them as vermins.

While replying to the petitioner's submission that declaring these animals as vermins would lead to an imbalance, the ministry has said that "Nilgai, wild boars or macaque are known as not very preferred prey within forests." Contrary to the ministry's claims, wild boars are a common prey for leopards and tigers inside forests and even on the fringes of protected areas.

The ministry has also asked the petitioner to reach out to people affected by the human-animal conflict. "Some suggestions have been given in the representation, which are pragmatic. Government appreciates it and would encourage the petitioner to interact with the affected people so that living with wildlife can be encouraged among the communities and workable solutions can be devised," it said.

Currently, the ministry has permitted killing of Rhesus Macaque monkeys in Himachal Pradesh of Nilgai and wild boars in Uttarakhand and Bihar. Proposals from Gujarat and Maharashtra are still pending.

'Interact with affected people'

The ministry has also asked the petitioner to reach out to people affected by the human-animal conflict. "Some suggestions have been given in the representation, which are pragmatic. Government appreciates it and would encourage the petitioner to interact with the affected people so that living with wildlife can be encouraged among the communities and workable solutions can be devised," it said.

 
SOURCE : http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-no-new-studies-were-needed-to-declare-animals-as-vermins-moef-to-petitioner-2234246
 


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