People in urban areas troubled by the growing monkey menace may soon get relief, as the UP government has assigned complete responsibility for catching and managing monkeys to the Forest Department. An order has been issued directing the department to prepare an action plan within one month, while municipal corporations will extend necessary cooperation.
The decision was taken during a high-level administrative meeting held on January 8 under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Urban Development, P Guruprasad. The meeting reviewed the increasing presence of monkeys in cities, incidents of accidents caused by them, concerns over public safety, and the rising cases of human-monkey conflict.
It was decided that the Forest Department, under the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, will now be solely responsible for catching monkeys within municipal corporation limits. Municipal bodies will no longer directly engage in catching operations. The Forest Department will handle all related tasks, including capture, relocation to safe areas, rehabilitation, and scientific management of the animals.
The role of municipal corporations will be limited to identifying monkey-affected areas, sharing necessary information with the Forest Department, and providing local-level coordination and support. The decision was taken considering that monkeys are wild animals and their management and rehabilitation require specialised expertise available with the Forest Department.
Officials said the new arrangement is expected to bring clarity in responsibility and lead to more effective control of the monkey problem in urban areas.