Senior BJP leader Binod Singh has urged the State Government to contain and curb the rampaging herds of Nilgais in the whole of Hussainabad sub division of Palamu. Binod Singh said the rampaging herds of Nilgais are leaving a big trail of destruction on the farms here and are no less most despised by the farmers next to elephants which are called destroyer of crops.
Herds of Nilgais raid fields and destroy standing crops like wheat and arhar pulse. It finishes vegetables in the fields faster than one can expect. Nilgais raid paddy fields and trample them like anything.
About its number Singh said, “Too many. It comes in herd of 2, 5, 10, 20 and even alone a Nilgai is a big destroyer.” This is a big issue of Hussainabad where farmers are at the receiving end due to these Nilgais. Some times Nilgais show their aggression most and attack individual too, said this BJP leader who is a member of the Palamu Zila Parishad.
“I have been apprising forest officials specially the DFO Medininagar about Nilgais problem but there has been so far no respite from it,” he reminded. Some compensation has reached farmers whose crops were so destroyed but this is very notional and the number of benefited farmer is too less,” said BJP leader Singh.
There is a village Kabra where are Muslim farmers. Their plights are enormous. The Nilgais there have harmed their agro finance added Singh. A Muslim farmer preferring anonymity said, “We are too scared of Nilgai as the suffix is ‘gai’ and this is enough to paint us in any light. Nilgais come, eat our vegetables, arhar, wheat etc and we do nothing. We do not even shoo them away lest any harm comes to Nilgai and then there will be any number of problem for us.”
Raju Vishwakarma of village Dangwar is another victim farmer of Nilgai. He said, “If this Nilgai is not controlled then we will leave doing growing vegetables. Nilgais now come near our houses and we gear any bad thing coming to our women folks or children.” Singh added, “The State Forest, Environment & Climate change department has not done any census of Nilgai.
It should be done as then only measures can be thought of for its control of progeny.”
Asked if Nilgais come here from Bihar Singh said Palamu has a large number of them itself.
Sources said elephants damage and destroy standing crops in Latehar district while it is Nilgai in Palamu that leaves a trail of miseries for the farmers. Asked if Nilgai menace will be a poll agenda in the coming Assembly election BJP leader said, “Undoubtedly Nilgai problem is a major issue here which has impacted farmers of all kinds and of all communities.”
