SRINAGAR: Wild boars have turned into a formidable foe for farmers across the Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, people complained on Saturday.
The locals said that the wild boars have been on a rampage, causing extensive damage to crops and apple orchards across the area, leaving the agricultural community in distress.
“Despite efforts by wildlife authorities to curb the menace, their attempts have fallen short, leaving farmers in a state of desperation,” they said, adding that the department should take effective steps to put an end to this menace.
“These wild boars have transformed our once peaceful fields into a relentless battleground. They rampage in packs, leaving destruction in their wake and consuming our toil overnight,” laments Mohammad Sultan, a local farmer who sorrowfully recounts the decimation of 30 percent of his prized apple orchard to the insatiable foraging of these formidable beasts.
“We have invested our sweat and blood into these fields, only to witness them being destroyed by these beasts. We need immediate help from the authorities.”
Farmers bear the burden of substantial financial losses while they anxiously await a solution to their plight. The unyielding attack on their means of sustenance has left them disheartened, teetering on the brink of despair.
“Our hopes rest on the authorities comprehending the urgency of the situation and promptly taking decisive action. Our very survival hangs in the balance,” expresses Mohammad Hassan, a fellow farmer affected by the ongoing crisis
Meanwhile, an official said that concrete measures will be taken to protect them from these Wild Boars. Historically, the Wild Boar was brought into the valley by erstwhile Dogra ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, for hunting purposes—(KNO)
