Kheti or a monkey species found in the Western Ghats may well be declared as vermin soon, Goa's Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai suggested to the Goa legislative assembly on Monday, claiming that the species were proving to be a deterrent for farmers.
Sardesai told the ongoing monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly that the process to take a "conclusive step" on the issue of vermin was being seriously considered by the BJP-led coalition Government in the State.
"Even if you use good varieties for yield, monkeys finish the crop before-hand. Support price is not a solution. It is a big issue in rural areas," the Agriculture Minister said.
Politicians cutting across party lines have been demanding declaring of a wide range of animal and bird species including monkeys, wild boar, etc as vermin because of the damage they cause to crops in the state's hinterland.
A demand made by former Agriculture minister Ramesh Tawadkar, to declare the gaur or the great Indian bison, a state animal and the peacock, India's national bird as vermin, was scuttled following popular opposition.
In reply to a question from Sanguem Independent MlA Prasad Gaonkar, who had demanded that monkeys were proving to be a menace to farmers in his constituency and were destroying the latter's crops, Sardesai said: "I think the Government is on its way to take a conclusive step with it. The Forest (Minister) and CM has thought about it. Something preventive needs to be done," Sardesai said.