Picture for representational purpose only

NEW DELHI: The environment ministry has declared wild pig as 'vermin' in Uttarakhand , paving the way for the animal's culling for one year with immediate effect. The step is intended to save farmers from losing their standing crops and other properties. Wildlife conservationists, however, have found the move unscientific and counterproductive.

The declaration as 'vermin' will allow Uttarakhand authorities to carry out extermination of wild pigs on a large scale in certain identified areas (tehsils) of 13 districts in the state without attracting penal provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The ministry's notification, issued last week, said culling of wild pigs will not be allowed in forest areas of the state.

It claimed to have declared wild pig as 'vermin' after getting the state's request on "reported harm to life and property including largescale destruction of agriculture due to overpopulation of wild pigs in areas outside forest".

"The central government has considered it necessary to balance local population of this species to mitigate the damage to human life, crops and other properties of the state for ensuring conservation of wildlife in forests," the notification said.

Culling will be allowed in all 'tehsils' of four districts - Tehri, Uttarkashi , Pithoragarh and Champawat. In the remaining nine districts, the ministry has identified some 'tehsils' for this exercise.

"It is not only unscientific but also counter-productive to kill prey species en masse. A wild species coming into conflict with humans is a clear symptom of forest mismanagement. By killing the pigs, we will only be inviting more tiger conflict, and then gun them down too," animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi said.

Maulekhi, who is associated with Union minister Maneka Gandhi-led People For Animals, said, "In a situation where habitat has been disturbed and human-animal conflict has occurred, the forest department must be held accountable. The ministry is, in fact, serving as a misguided political tool for facilitating annihilation in the name of development."

Earlier, wild pig was declared 'vermin' for one year in February 2016. Culling was subsequently banned amid huge protests from conservationists.

Wild pigs are a protected species under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, if any wild animal poses a danger to human life or property, the law allows for it to be hunted by declaring it vermin for a specific period.

The move has always been resisted by wildlife activists. The country saw widespread protests when the ministry had issued notifications declaring three wildlife species - Nilgai, wild pigs and Rhesus Macaque - as vermin in five states on their request over two years ago.

