Monkey problem has reached unimaginable proportions: HC

Local authorities may never be able to catch up with the problem of ther growing number of monkeys as it has reached unimaginable proportions, the Delhi High Court said today.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made the observation after the Delhi government informed it about a proposed action plan to curb the rising population of monkeys in the national capital.
"You may never catch up as you cannot even imagine the proportion to which the problem has reached today," it said.
The court had on September 26 asked for an action plan to address the issues of rising numbers of monkey and dogs in the city as well as for rescuing peacocks.

According to the action plan formulated by a committee set up by the high court, the most effective way to minimise the "monkey menace" is to sterilise the simians which were in the reproductive age limit.
The plan proposes to identify one location in the jurisdiction of each civic body where monkeys are a menace and then carry out a census of their population.

Thereafter, the local body would prepare the estimate of catching, sterilising and releasing the monkeys back to their area.
Till the action plan comes into force, the current practice of catching the monkeys and releasing them in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary shall continue, the committee has said in the report filed through advocate Anuj Aggarwal.

The mode of sterilisation is the method that the committee has favoured for addressing the issue of rising numbers of stray dogs in the national capital.
It has, however, said the present infrastructure available with all the three municipal corporations for sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs was inadequate and additional resources were required.
For the rescue of injured peacocks, the committee has submitted in its report that the Department of Forests and Wildlife has sought approval of the Ridge Management Board and the Central Zoo Authority for development of a bird rescue centre at Rajokri in southwest Delhi.
It has said the department should engage an NGO of repute to run the proposed rescue centre which is likely to be established within a year, where the facility for housing and medical care of the rescued birds shall be made available.

The bench, thereafter, modified the committee to include a representative from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for coming out with an action plan for addressing the issue of cows roaming around in the city.
While the petitions pertaining to monkeys, dogs and peacocks was listed for further hearing on November 17, the issue of cows roaming around in the city would be taken up by the court on December 11.
The court was hearing three PILs seeking directions to the authorities to take steps to deal with the menace of monkeys, dogs, stray cattle and providing them shelter as well as protection of peacocks.