Govt eases rules for shooting animals that damage crops

CHANDIGARH: Short-term permits for shooting crop-damaging animals, including wild boar and ‘roz’, will no longer require panchayat resolutions, the Punjab government said on Friday.

The state government has also approved sterilisation of bulls by animal husbandry department to control the menace of stray cattle in line with the practice being followed in some other states, an official spokesman said.

A meeting of Punjab State Wildlife Board chaired by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has decided to simplify the procedure for sanctioning 45-day permits for shooting these crop-damaging animals, he said. It was also decided to put the permit process online and on WhatsApp to ensure ease. “These permits for limited hunting are confined to privately owned land and are meant only for crop-damaging animals,” the spokesman said.

The meeting also decided on various initiatives to promote ecological preservation, including creation of a conservation reserve along 185km of the Beas. The Punjab State Wildlife Board has also been empowered to decide on fishing seasons.

Other conservation measures approved included creation of Ranjit Sagar Dam Wildlife Sanctuary to promote ecotourism, such as angling and river cruise.

The state government also approved a proposal to convert Siswan village panchayat land into a community reserve by declaring 3,199 acres of land as forest area under the Land Preservation Act 1990, the spokesman added.