Take steps to rid Shimla of monkey, dog menace: Shimla Nagrik Sabha

Advertisement

Shimla, February 12

The Shimla Nagrik Sabha here today urged Mayor Surinder Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal to take effective steps to curb the menace monkeys and dogs in the town. The Sabha also demanded the Mayor to provide compensation to the victims who have suffered injuries because of dogs and monkeys.

A delegation of Shimla Nagrik Sabha met the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and submitted a memorandum regarding their demands.

‘Affecting tourism’

This twin menace is also indirectly affecting tourism activities in the town. — Vijender Mehra, Shimla Nagrik Sabha

The Mayor assured them of effective steps by the corporation to check the twin menace of monkeys and dogs.

Vijender Mehra, co-convener of Shimla Nagrik Sabha, said this is turning out to be big problem in the town as lives have been lost and, in some cases, people have sustained serious injuries after being chased or threatened by monkeys and dogs.

“On February 9, a pack of around 20 dogs assaulted a senior citizen named Jagat Ram who suffered serious injuries,” Mehra said. He added that dogs and monkeys can be seen at most of the places of the town and people here are living in fear and are not able to move around freely.

“Shimla is a popular tourist destination but its reputation is being ruined due to these monkeys and dogs. There are incidents on a daily basis wherein monkeys either bite people, snatch their belongings, aggressively attack them or litter around the town,” he added. Mehra said, “This twin menace is indirectly affecting tourism activities in the town.”

He also accused the Municipal Corporation of neither taking any action on this matter for years nor formulating a policy to check this menace.

“The Himachal Pradesh High Court has also expressed its concern over this matter, but the corporation has not been able to take effective measures to check this menace,” Mehra said.