DC seeks DRDO’s help to get rid of monkeys, wild boars

TAWANG, Dec 3: Tawang Deputy Commissioner Sang Phuntsok sought help from the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) to get rid of wild boar and monkey menace that are reportedly destroying the crops of the farmers here.
Informing about the menace during a seminar cum interactive meeting on challenges, issues and opportunity in agriculture animal husbandry and environment in Tawang on Monday, the deputy commissioner urged the DRDO to help the farmers with some technology, like solar fencing or any other alternative to keep away the wild animals from destroying the crops.
The seminar was attended by Director of Defence Research Laboratory Tezpur DrSK Dwivedi, scientists and officials from DRDO, officers from Agriculture and Veterinary department and farmers.
“We can bring changes in the life of our farmers and general public by working together, DRDO can use their expertise in doubling the farmers’ income,” said the deputy commissioner.
He further urged the DRDO to come up with better solutions for vermicompost and use their techniques in finding out the quality of water since the catchment areas of drinking water in Tawang are mostly nearby firing range areas.
The deputy commissioner further requested the DRDO team to help farmers of Tawang in the Horticulture sector by providing walnut saplings, stating that the cost of saplings are very high.
DRL Director Dr Dwevedi said that DRDO is already working with few farmers in mushroom cultivation in Tawang, and if required, it (DRDO) is ready to provide spawns of mushroom to the farmers.
He informed that ultra sonic devices can be used to keep away wild boars and monkeys from fields and this year itself DRDO will do it in some areas on experimental basis. He also suggested for growing some new species of crop on experimental basis.
Dr Baikuntha J Gogoi, in-charge DRL Tawang said that the vision of the DRDO is to make India a prosperous country by establishing world class science and technology base. Very soon DRDO will be installing a medical oxygen plant at Khirmu Military hospital, he informed.