Allahabad HC seeks reply from UP's urban development dept on monkey menace

Prayagraj (UP), Sep 23 (PTI) Observing that the monkey menace is creating havoc in the lives of people, the Allahabad High Court has directed the principal secretary of the urban development department to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken or proposed to be taken to ensure that local bodies fulfil their responsibilities under the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act and Uttar Pradesh Municipalities Act.

A division bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra said each department is shifting its responsibility to another and noted inaction on the state government's part in framing an action plan or standard operating procedures to control the monkey menace in response to a letter dated August 20 of the Ghaziabad district magistrate.

Hearing a PIL filed by social worker Vineet Sharma and another plea, the court observed that it would be appropriate if the urban development department is made a party to the proceedings since all the municipalities are administered by it.

Fixing October 31 as the next date of hearing in the matter, the court, in its order dated September 19, said, "The needful shall be done before the next date." The petitioner's counsel informed the court about the miseries faced by people due to the monkey menace on one hand and the hunger and starvation of monkeys due to a lack of food for them in almost all districts of the state on the other hand.

The court was also shown newspaper clippings of violent monkey attacks in Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Sitapur, Bareilly and Agra, and told that the issue was not limited to one or two districts but affected the entire state.

"After monkeys have been de-notified from the schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act, they are now governed by the provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act and the Municipalities Act. It is their duty to abate nuisances and ensure safety and convenience of the public," the petitioner's counsel said.

The petition raises the issues of increasing population of monkeys, increasing man-monkey conflict, hunger and loss of food for monkeys, their starvation and the cruel conditions under which the animals live.

The petition seeks directions for preparing an urgent action plan, adequate infirmaries, veterinary care centres, adequate transport or rescue vans, relocation to forest areas, adequate provisions of food and setting up a 24x7 grievance helpline portal. PTI COR RAJ RC