Himachal Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri today told Vidhan Sabha that the state government was aware of problems faced by farmers and people in general due to attacks by wild animals and monkeys and was contemplating to urge the Centre to approve the proposal to declare monkeys as "vermin".
Nine natural habitats (Vanar Vatikas) will be set up around the monkey sterilisation centres and case for declaring monkeys as vermin will be moved to the Centre so that the menace can be controlled.
Replying to a question by Maheshwar Singh (HLP) regarding attacks by stray dogs and wild animals, Bharmouri said the task of undertaking survey of monkeys was complete and the moment the data is compiled, the case seeking declaration of monkeys as vermin would be moved to the Centre for approval.
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He said that in the meantime, the government has speeded up the task of sterilisation of monkeys and "More than one lakh monkeys have been sterilised so far and the latest census has indicated decline in number of monkeys.
Leader of Opposition P K Dhumal (BJP) said monkey menace was a very big problem all over the state, especially in Shimla and Hamirpur and the state government must take necessary steps to declare monkeys as "vermin".
He asked the Forest Minister to lay thedocuments supporting his statement on the table of the House.
Inder Singh (BJP) raised the issue of delay in approval to the channelisation of the Seer khud in Gopalpur area of Mandi district and said that he failed to "understand why there was delay in approval as the DPR of the project had been sent to the Centre and relevant documents also submitted before the Central Water Commission," he said.
Replying to a query, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes said a budgetary provision of Rs 4.80 crore had been made for the scheme in 2015-16 and theDPR of the project was sent to the CWC on April 1, 2014.
"After some objections raised by CWC, more information had been sent," she added.
Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur informed Rajiv Bindal (BJP) in a written reply said that 123 MBBS and six MD doctors has quit service during the last three years.
"The main reasons cited for quitting service was pursuing higher studies, joining armed forces or for family reasons," he said.
