A former Himachal Pradesh minister and BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Ravi has offered an "unusual" solution to tackle the menace of monkeys and stray dogs -- deploying Naga and Gorkha regiments in the state from time to time.
Moving a resolution in the Assembly on the menace of stray animals, the BJP lawmaker said "if Gorkha regiment or Naga regiment is posted in different cantonments of the state from time to time, the population of monkeys would decline with passage of time".
The former Irrigation and Public Health Minister went on to say that some of the delicacies from the region to which these contigents belong are based on the meat of these animals.
"In the past a regiment was posted in Holta (near Palampur town) and stayed there for three years and there was significant drop in the population of monkeys," he said and even urged the governement to take up the matter with Defence Ministry for the posting of these regiments in the state from time to time.
"If Gorkha and Naga regiments keep coming at least for three years here, it will solve a number of problem.... It will also help in maintaining ecological balance," he added.
The state has been grappling with the increasing monkey menace. According to a survey conducted by wild life department, their population has increased to 3,17,112 and they have caused extensive damage to fruit, vegetables and serial crops mainly in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Una, Mandi and Kangra districts.
During the debate, members said that wild animals including monkeys, stray dogs and blue bulls have become such a nuisance in many places that the farmers, unable to protect their crops against invasion by wild animals, have stopped growing crops and their lands are lying barren.
