Alappuzha: Kerala Agriculture Minister P. Prasad on Saturday suggested that the increasing problem of wild boars destroying crops could be addressed more effectively if people were permitted to consume their meat.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Paalamel village panchayat in Alappuzha district, Prasad said that the existing central law currently prohibits such action.
"In my opinion, people should be allowed to eat the meat of wild boars killed in agricultural fields," he said. "If people have permission to kill wild boars and eat their meat, the issue can be resolved much faster. But the current law does not allow this," he added.
The minister further noted that the wild boar is not classified as an endangered species.
Prasad’s remarks come just days after the Kerala Assembly passed a bill to amend the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, aimed at curbing the rising instances of human-animal conflict in the state.
With PTI inputs