December 23, 2019

Topic: Rural Development.

News:-Every 5th rural worker in Punjab is homeless, according to a report.

(According to government indicators, if 2 families live in a house of 5 Marla or less, one of then must be reckoned homeless).

Also, 1.16% of people live in public places like hospitals, Dharamshala, cattle yards etc.
16.53 % of families were living in kutcha houses.
Around 47 % of the people (who owned houses) were living in the houses, having an area less than 5 Marla.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, just 13% of the total eligible families in the rural state could get the pucca houses built in the past 5 years
As far as basic amenities are concerned, the conditions are no better. The survey also finds that:
30% of the houses do not have toilets.
70% of the houses do not have kitchens.
28% of the houses are without the bathroom.
80% of houses without any verandah.
10% of the houses did not have any own source of water.

(Source:- The Tribune)

News:- Census of the wild board to be held to mitigate the man-animal conflict.

Punjab wildlife department would undertake this exercise for the first time ( for the wild boars).

The rising population of the wild boars.
Subsequent damages to the crops done by the wild animals have become a serious headache for the farmers.
Due to deforestation and rising urbanization, the animals are running out of space.
The shrinking of habitats is a serious issue as man-animal conflict cases are on the rise.
Wild boars and Blue bulls are seen as threats to the farmland and the forests.
Wild boars destroy crops in the dawn time, especially Sugarcane and vegetables.
The animals are also allegedly seen as attacking humans in a few cases.
The Kandi area of Punjab is the worst affected area the hilly and semi hilly region adjacent to Himachal Pradesh). Areas such as Anandpur Sahib, Ropar, Nawanshahr, etc are the worst affected.
As per the rules, wild boars come under the category of Schedule 3 of the Indian Wildlife ( protection) act, 1972.
As per section 62 of the above-mentioned act, the centre can declare any animal a vermin for a specified period of time after a number count report is submitted by the state wildlife department.

Wild animals that are believed to be harmful to crops, farm animals, or game, or which carry disease, e.g. rodents.
Also, the decline of a number of leopards and other predators have also been seen as a cause of the rise of the population of these vermins.
So, an integrated wildlife conservation strategy has to brought in the state where the interests of both animals and humans could be taken care of.
Better management of forest areas, declaration of areas as national parks and spreading awareness can do well for this cause.

(Source:- The Tribune)