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Distribution of air rifles to farmers to prevent crop damage by wild animals
The Agriculture Ministry has begun distributing air rifles to farmers at concessional prices from yesterday (22), Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
While initiating the programme to distribute air rifles to farmers in Agunakolapalassa, he said the farmers had demanded shotguns to prevent crop damage from wild animals.
Accordingly, arrangements have been made to distribute 268 air rifles to the farmers.
At present, crop damage caused by wild animals has increased, and among the animals that cause crop damage, toque monkeys, peacocks and giant squirrels are the most prominent. Currently, these animals have been removed from the protected animals list, while wild elephants are still included in the list.
"Crop damage caused by wild animals has increased, and farmers are constantly requesting to provide them with shotguns to prevent crop damage," the Minister said.
Therefore, in an effort to prevent crop damage, measures are being taken to distribute air rifles at the request of the farmers, and the government has allocated the necessary funds for this year, the Minister added.
However, the Minister stated that they cannot give shotguns to harm any animals and hence urged farmers not to use these air rifles to kill animals, but only to drive them away, and not to use the air rifles against people under any circumstances.
He also mentioned that if any farmer uses these air rifles to harm people, it is mandatory to enforce the law against them. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
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