Prayagraj Acts on Monkey Menace, May Set UP Model

Amidst rising incidents of monkey menace, including attacks on residents of different localities, the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to employ monkey catchers for the first time.

- K Sandeep Kumar

PRAYAGRAJ:

The plan is to get the monkeys caught from the worst affected localities like Jhunsi and Daraganj etc., and get them released in appropriate places having their natural habitat away from densely populated localities, informed civic officials.

The step comes close on the heels of the Allahabad high court issuing notices to the Animal Welfare Board of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Uttar Pradesh government, and others in response to a PIL highlighting the rising monkey population, increasing man-monkey conflicts, and the starvation and inhumane conditions faced by monkeys. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra on May 6 has also directed the Centre, the UP government and local municipal bodies to inform it about any action plans implemented or proposed to address the issue.