Follow Us
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, January 6
Even as only five monkeys were culled after being declared vermin in the Shimla Municipal Corporation and 38 other tehsils, Himachal has sought renewal of permission along with a nod for 53 other tehsils for eliminating the maundering simians.
Last week, the Forest Department moved the case to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to renew the permission granted earlier for killing monkeys in Shimla and 38 other tehsils. The time period had expired on December 20 last year. “Besides, seeking extension of the permission granted at these two places, we have requested that a nod may be given even in case of 53 tehsils, request for which is already pending,” Nagesh Guleria, Chief Conservator (Wildlife), said.
He added that the case for seeking declaration of monkeys as vermin in 53 tehsils had been moved in October 2016. “However, our request remained pending as the ministry had sought details of the number of monkeys killed during the period they were declared vermin,” Guleria said. “This probably put our case on hold as people despite complaining of the monkey menace, did not come forward to cull them,” he added. Four monkeys were killed in Sangrah in Sirmaur and one in Kunihar in Solan.
Despite monkeys being responsible for the destruction of crops, fruits and vegetables worth crores every year, people are not willing to kill them owing to religious sentiments. As per official records, only five monkeys were eliminated during the period when they were declared vermin in Shimla and 38 other tehsils. A total of 11,000 monkeys were sterilised between March and December 2018 and 1.48 lakh in the last six years.
The Centre had declared monkeys as vermin for a period of six months within the Shimla municipal limits on March 29, 2015, and later extended it to May, 2016, for a period of one year.
The Forest Department had also sent a proposal to the Centre in September 2016, seeking declaration of monkeys as vermin in 53 tehsils of the state based on their density in the select areas identified as hot spots for a period of one year.
The last monkey census, undertaken in July 2015, had indicated that there were about 2,452 monkeys within the Shimla municipal limits, which is higher than their number reflected in the last census undertaken in 2013. The last monkey census done in 2015 had indicated a decline from 2.26 lakh in 2013 to 2.07 lakh. The monkey population estimation was undertaken in 83 ranges spread over 27,276 sq km all over the state.
Census
Year No. of monkeys
2004 3,17,512
2013 2,26,086
2015 2,07,614
3
5