Wildlife Woes: Uttarakhand Panel to Unveil Report on Farm Damage by March

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A comprehensive study by Uttarakhand's Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission is nearing completion, aiming to submit its findings on the impact of wildlife on agriculture to the state government by the end of March. The study, which has gathered data from nearly 7,000 gram panchayats, aims to identify the extent of damage, the most destructive wild animals, and the regions most affected. According to commission vice chairman Sharad Singh Negi, the problem varies geographically, with monkeys, wild boars, nilgai, elephants, and porcupines causing significant crop damage in different areas. He noted that wildlife damage contributes around 7-8% to migration, citing previous reports. The commission will also examine the compensation mechanism for farmers affected by wildlife damage, highlighting that despite existing provisions, many do not file claims due to a complex and discouraging process. Negi stated that the commission will document local solutions to tackle the issue. In a bid to address the issue, the state government has planned to install solar fencing and sensor-based alert systems across the state. The Uttarakhand forest department has also granted permission to hunt wild boar and nilgai that damage crops. Established in 2017, the commission has submitted 25 reports on migration, with its first report revealing that over 383,726 people left villages temporarily in eight years from 2011 to 2018, while 118,981 migrated permanently. The commission's latest report in March 2023 showed that 307,310 people migrated temporarily in five years, while 28,531 migrated permanently. The state government has issued directions for the implementation of the commission's recommendations, including the constitution of a committee for better implementation.