ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: The Capital Development Authority has kicked off a poison-baiting campaign to reduce the number of wild boar in the capital.

The campaign has been launched with the collaboration of the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and will continue for a month.

Under the drive, poisoned grains are being spread at specified places near the main hideouts of the wild boars. The authority has warned the cattle breeders and the farm owners not to graze their cattle for at least a month. A senior official of the environment directorate of the authority told Dawn on Saturday that the drive was started on the complaints of the people about the increasing number of wild boars in the city.

Herds of the boars come out from their hideouts at night and roam on streets and roads in the residential areas. The boars attacked a number of people and injured them. The boars also create traffic hazard. A number of accidents have been reported because of their sudden appearance on the main roads.

The official said the authority had conducted a survey prior to launching the campaign. He said the F-9 Park, Margalla Hills, Shakarparian, vicinity of Zero Point, Kashmir Highway, H-8 Graveyard and F-6/3 woods were some of the main hideouts of the wild boars. He said shooting was another means to reduce their number, but the authority could not do this on mass scale, as it would not only spoil the peace of the city but also spread a wave of fear among the people.