Himachal Kisan Sabha has expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of farmer representatives in the newly reconstituted Himachal Pradesh Wildlife Board headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
While welcoming the formation of the board, the farmers’ organisation said the exclusion of major farmer bodies was a matter of concern, especially at a time when rural communities were facing increasing losses due to attacks by wild animals.
HKS State President Dr Kuldip Singh Tanwar said farmers were among the worst-hit sections because of crop destruction, livestock attacks and rising human-wildlife conflict, and therefore deserved proper representation in policy decisions related to wildlife management.
The organisation urged the government to include all key stakeholders in the board and pressed for frequent meetings to address the growing wildlife crisis across the state.
The Sabha also demanded a substantial increase in compensation for deaths, injuries, crop losses and damage caused by wild animals, arguing that the existing relief amounts no longer matched present-day costs and market rates.
Referring to its long-standing campaign against wildlife-related damage, the organisation claimed that sustained protests and the “Kheti Bachao Andolan” had earlier influenced amendments allowing monkeys to be placed under Schedule-5 of the Wildlife Protection Act in Himachal Pradesh for population control measures.
According to the Sabha, the menace caused by wild boars, langurs and peacocks has intensified over the years, while nilgai populations have emerged as a serious issue in districts such as Sirmaur, Solan, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Kangra.
The organisation further sought immediate collection of data from hospitals and healthcare institutions regarding animal bite incidents, alleging that over 100 cases involving monkeys and stray dogs were being reported daily in the state.
HKS appealed to the Chief Minister to convene a joint meeting of farmer groups, wildlife experts, forest officials and elected representatives to work out a permanent solution to the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Himachal Pradesh.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
