No end to simian menace in hill districts

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 30

Attacks by monkeys in regular intervals in the hill districts of the state have made life hell for people.

The simian menace is beginning to emerge as a major headache for the authorities. Every month, officials are contending with complaints of rowdy monkeys letting loose vandalism sprees in both urban and rural areas.

A 13-year-old boy was recently attacked by a monkey in the Fata area of Rudraprayag district. Mohit, along with his father Govind Singh, had gone to a nearby market when he was attacked. A terrified Mohit fainted and was immediately taken to the local Primary Health Centre.

Vijay Jamloki, a local resident, has appealed to the Forest Department for a prompt action in the matter. He requested the authorities to sterilise monkeys so that their population does not increase.

Notably, many farmers across the state have switched to other professions due to the monkey menace. Surat Singh Negi, president of the Pradhan Sangathan, Uttarakhand, said the monkey menace had become a big problem for farmers. He said the scarcity of fruit trees inside the forest areas had been forcing monkeys to take to human habitations.

He expressed hope that the state government’s decision to come up with monkey rehabilitation centres — one in Garhwal and one in Kumaon — would come as a respite for areas facing the menace.

The menace is at its worst in places of pilgrimages like Haridwar and Rishikesh. With Ardh Kumbh slated to take place in Haridwar next year, it will be all more challenging for the forest authorities to deal with the menace.

In the last Kumbh fair in Haridwar, the forest authorities had to undertake a monkey catching drive.

The then Director-General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dr VK Bahuguna, had suggested for the plantation of Gular trees.

“Gular trees, which are a native variety, particularly in Dehradun, bear fruits that are good in nutrition. The fruit is also to the liking of monkeys and could serve as an excellent feed for them in forests,” he had stated.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat has also been sensitising people to the importance of planting fruit saplings in the forest areas, so that adequate food could be provided to wildlife.