HoR members voice to control boar, monkey menace to ensure food self-sufficiency

Kathmandu: The members of the House of Representatives (HoR) have stressed the need to control the menace of boar and monkeys in rural areas to reduce food dependency.

In today’s meeting of the HoR, lawmaker Rajendra Bajgain tabled a motion of public importance seeking a lasting solution to this issue adding that the menace of boar and monkeys in the rural parts of the country has caused damage to the food crops and has created a threat to the farmers’ security.

On the occasion, Bajgain called for the security of agricultural goods, the management of wildlife, and environmental balance through the formulation and implementation of policies.

Likewise, he has proposed the need for a hunting policy for boar management and alternative measures for the control of monkeys.

Lawmaker duo Udaya Shumsher JBR and Sanjay Kumar Gautam seconded the proposal of Bajgain.

JBR said boars have created challenges in the tarai region among farmers adding that the farmers who cannot hunt the boars have witnessed heavy losses.

Likewise, lawmaker Dr Amresh Kumar Singh said the Nilgais (literally known as blue cows) have damaged crops and caused humanitarian loss as well in the tarai region.

Ramkrishna Yadav said that the problems created from Nilgais are severe in Dhanusha, Sarlahi and other districts in the tarai area.

Lawmaker Ganesh Prasad Parajuli said this proposal was related to the Ministry of Forest and Ministry of Agriculture and the stakeholders should advance by coordinating with the experts to address the challenges.

Likewise, lawmaker Sita Mizar shared that farmers’ life has become tough due to the rising number of monkey and boar and their number should be downsized by making laws.

She argued that fruit trees should be planted in the forest so that monkey and boars won’t have to enter the human settlements.

People from the rural areas have migrated outside due to monkey and boar and the policy to control monkey and boar was needed to end food dependency in the country, lawmakers Rajendra KC and Ramhari Khatiwada said.

However, lawmaker Manish Jha shared that separate measures were needed to control menace of monkey in the cities as well as rural areas.

The House of Representatives will meet again on Tuesday.