Simians continue to scare city residents

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 29

There has been a marked increase in the population of monkeys in the residential areas across the city over the last couple of months. Presently, officials of the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Department are finding it difficult to tackle the problem.

 Monkeys in the city and the outskirts are causing a lot of trouble to residents of the royal city. They have also become a threat to passersby, especially, children. Residents say the menace is all because of birs (forest protected land) surrounding Patiala.

Already, simians have been creating a nuisance in New Officers Colony, YPS Patiala, Polo Ground, New Lal Bagh, Government College for Girls, National Institute of Sports and other nearby areas. 

In fact, residents believe that as there are no fruit trees in ‘birs’ so simians come out in search of food in the populated areas. Talking to The Tribune, many residents complained that there was nothing that they could do to tackle the monkey menace as most of the time they turned violent. They also suggested that the authority concerned should catch monkeys and sterilise them. 

“We live in a constant fear. I had gone out in the morning when two of them lunged at me. I just slipped back into my home in the nick of the time, otherwise, they could have bitten me,” said Abhishek Arora, a resident of New Officers Colony.  

Many people complained that monkeys not only spoiled their household goods, but sometimes left them bruised. 

Meanwhile, forest officials confessed that it was a challenge to overcome the problem. They urged the people not to give any eatables like bananas, fruits or biscuits to them.

Despite the fencing work in progress at many birs around the city, the government is yet to arrange food for monkeys inside the restricted areas. 

However, District Forest Officer (Wildlife) Arun Kumar, said, “We have been issuing warnings to residents to stop feeding monkeys, but people don’t comply. They feed monkeys thrice a week as part of a particular religious ritual. Therefore, monkeys have started coming out of the forest in search of food in the residential areas.”

“Due to birs in the backyard, monkeys do come, but we have informed students to stay away and don’t tease them,” said Chiranjeev Kaur, Principal Government College for Girls.

“Every week, two or three patients of monkey bite come for the treatment at the hospital,” said Dr Aman Dev, Social and Preventive Medicines (SPM), Government Rajindra Hospital Patiala.