Catholic nun gets licence to kill wild boars in Kerala
George Kommattathil - September 2021
Sister Joffy of CMC convent at Chakkittapra in the rural parts of Kozhikode district in North Kerala secured permission to kill wild boars raiding convent farm. She sought permission to kill wild boars due to the massive crop destruction the animals caused to her crops.
Wild boars have become a menace to people residing in parts of Kerala, making farmers crops and their lives in peril. Agricultural crops are being regularly destroyed by wild pigs, thus endangering livelihood and food security.
With increasing demands to eliminate them, the Kerala High Court has granted permission to kill wild boars destroying agricultural crops in Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.
Sister Joffy is among the 12 farmers from Kozhikode district who recently secured permission from the Kerala High Court to cull crop-raiding wild boars. Sr. Jophy Jose is the superior at CMC convent, Muthukad.
Fed up and saddened by the daily farm raids and destruction of crops in her convent farm, Sr Jofy under the leadership of V Farm farmers organisation, approached the Kerala High Court seeking permission to kill the destructive animals.
The convent owns 4 acres of agricultural land. Wild boars frequently destroy the tapioca, plantain, nutmeg, taro, elephant yam and purple yam grown in the land. Things had reached such a pass that wild boars started camping near the agricultural land quite literally.
"I am not a licensed gun holder or trained shooter. I approached the court along with other farmers with the sole intention of ending this menace that has been spoiling our efforts for several years," says Sr. Jophy. She hopes to get the support of other farmers in the village who have arms licence to tackle the menace.
"In the recent attacks, tapioca plants in large areas were destroyed. It was difficult to just remain silent as we had struggled a lot to grow the plants and water them regularly," she adds.
Sr Jofy said after realising that agricultural activities in the area would not be possible till the wild boards are eliminated, they decided to approach the high court.
It was with the support of 'We Farm', a settler farmers' organisation in Kozhikode district, that the 12 farmers, including a Wayanad native, recently secured the court order for culling wild boars. Twenty-two settler farmers in Kozhikode district will now be able to kill wild boars that stray into their fields.
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