PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) has captured 17 monkeys so far as part of a week-long drive launched to tackle the growing human-monkey conflict in the city, in coordination with the Forest department.
The campaign began on March 11 following a rise in complaints from residents of various areas. According to officials, as on March 17, a total of 17 monkeys had been captured from various parts of the city.
Senior municipal veterinary officer Dr Varun Aggarwal said that complaints about monkeys are being regularly received. Monkeys have been caught from Tehri House, Brahmapuri, railway station area and Suddhowala so far. He added that the residents have reported frequent disturbances from monkeys, including the simians entering homes, snatching food and posing safety risks, particularly for children and the elderly.
In response, dedicated teams have been deployed and cages installed in sensitive locations. Aggarwal added that the areas with high monkey activity have been identified and cages are being placed in Raipur, Rajpur Road, Subhashnagar, Dalanwala, Ajabpur Kalan and Saharanpur Road.
The monkeys being captured are also being sterilised to control their population in the long term. Captured monkeys are being sterilised and later released into forest areas as per guidelines, with animal welfare norms being followed. Residents have welcomed the initiative but have also called for a long-term and sustainable solution. He said that the campaign will continue based on complaint trends and ground requirements to help reduce monkey-related incidents in the coming months.
