Now, Chandigarh civic body to deal with monkey menace

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, October 18

Now, the responsibility of catching monkeys in the city will rest with the Municipal Corporation (MC), as the animal has been removed from the list of protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2022). At present, the Forest Department catches monkeys.

Removed from list of protected species

An official said the department had written to the UT Administration asking it to hand over the work to the MC, as the Central Government has removed monkeys from the list of protected species under the Act. A decision in this regard would be taken soon, he added.

An official said the department had written to the UT Administration asking it to hand over the work to the MC, as the Central Government has removed monkeys from the list of protected species under the Act. A decision in this regard would be taken soon, he added. The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, has been into force since April 1, 2023. Under this Act, monkeys have been removed from the list of protected species of wild animals. Earlier, monkeys were considered protected species and it was the responsibility of the Forest Department to catch them.

Dec census pegged population at 1,326

The department conducted the first census of monkeys in December last year. It was found that there were 1,326 monkeys in parts of the city. As many as 594 monkeys were found in Panjab University alone, followed by 200 in Sector 1, 88 in Sector 28 and 75 in Sector 27.

At present, there is a major problem of monkeys in many sectors of the city, for which people call the Forest Department.

The department has also formed a separate team to catch monkeys.

Councillors have raised this problem many times at the meetings of the MC House. Recently, the MC temporarily deployed staff in Sectors 27 and 28 who made langur calls to scare away monkeys.

According to the Forest Department, with the amendment to the Act, monkeys have now come in the list of stray animals and the responsibility of controlling them comes within the purview of the Municipal Corporation or the Animal Husbandry Department. Five months ago, the Forest Department had sought help of the Wildlife Institute of India (WFI) to address the problem of monkeys in the city. The department had written to the WFI to study the behaviour and habitat of monkeys roaming in the city.

According to the Forest Department, monkeys are being caught every month. Despite this, people of many sectors are very upset with monkeys. At present, there are many areas in Sector 14, PGI residential area, Sector 7, Sector 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 22, 23, 27, 28 and 30 where people are troubled by monkeys.

The department has also not been able to find a permanent solution to the problem.

Wherever the department receives a complaint, a team goes to the spot to catch the animal or scare it away.

Monkeys have also attacked people in many places in the city. They also break the lids of the water tanks placed on rooftops.

According to the department, nets have been installed at 25 sensitive places to catch monkeys. Around 200 monkeys are caught every year and then released into the forest.

The department conducted the first census of monkeys in December last year. It was found that there were 1,326 monkeys in parts of the city. As many as 594 monkeys were found in Panjab University alone, followed by 200 in Sector 1, 88 in Sector 28 and 75 in Sector 27.

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