Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Herds of Nilgai (blue bulls)/(Ghoda-Roj) have been causing severe damage to crops, causing human-animal conflict and also severe accidents on the road under Dhar and Ratlam districts. Farmers have continuously been citing damage to their standing crops worth over lakhs of rupees. These animals have caused many road accidents, some fatal. The forest department has done absolutely nothing to tackle the menace.
Pratap Grewal, Congress MLA from Sardarpur, informed principal secretary of the legislative assembly under 138 (1), that the rising number of nilgais is worrying farmers who are citing damage to their standing crops every year. Not just crop damage, encounters with the Nilgai have also caused road accidents, especially in rural areas since Nilgai is a big and strong animal, causing huge damage to a vehicle and its occupants. They are giving farmers sleepless nights. Failing to protect the farmers’ crops, gram panchayats have made applications, but to no avail.
Herds of Nilgai cause frequent road accidents causing 5 to 10 deaths every year and severely damaging vehicles. The forest department is still nonchalant towards the growing menace as no concrete action has been taken to tackle the menace till now. As per the survey (conducted by local farmers), herds of Nilgai in thousands are roaming around the assembly area, but the department did not pay heed to address the issue. In 2022 alone, crops measuring more than 300 hectares of land were destroyed causing damage over lakhs of rupees. No compensation (for crop loss) has been given to them by the department, nor has any concrete action been taken.
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