By Brij Khandelwal
Agra, Jan 1 (IANS) The exploding population of monkeys has become a major issue that could influence the outcome of coming municipal elections in Agra and Mathura.
Every few days, someone or the other is attacked by simian marauders on a rampage. Women and children are the main target of the aggressive monkeys that are all over from terraces to the trees, making life miserable for the citizens.
Apart from the red-faced monkeys, stray cows, and dogs have made life miserable for residents of Braj mandal. From Vrindavan to Mathura and Gokul, and from Goverdhan to Barsana, the bovine, canine, and simian nuisance is causing alarm after a series of attacks on women and children.
The pilgrims are not safe, and even the VVIPs are advised to be careful with their spectacles while visiting the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan. The locals watch with amusement the war between langurs, monkeys, and the animal rights activists who usually have the last laugh.
The residents complain that despite numerous complaints to authorities, neither the UP Forest Department nor the municipal authorities have shown any interest to contain the growing menace of stray animals on roads and the rapidly growing simian population that has made life difficult for everyone.
“According to the rules, the monkeys can attack humans but humans can’t kill or shoot them,” says harassed Vrindavan resident Nandan Das. A Forest department official, however, said: “We have no funds for these activities. Moreover when you can’t kill the monkeys where would you keep them?”
On every road crossing, one can see dozens of stray animals, old or sterile cows merrily grazing away, an injured donkey or dozens of dogs chasing you wildly and if you manage to escape, the waiting monkeys will pounce upon you from the tree tops or balconies, often snatching away glasses or bags.
The nuisance is now unbearable, say people in Vrindavan.
“You can’t freely move around the terrace, or keep flower pots. Children and women in particular are the target of these marauding monkeys. The monkeys start their journey a little after dawn and take the circuitous route jumping from one terrace to another or running across streets to settle on the Yamuna ghats where they hang around the whole day running and attacking people. The return journey in the evening is equally devastating for the residents of these mohallas.
“In the planned colonies or the multi storeyed buildings, the simian nuisance is not so alarming, because the houses are separated,” says Mathura resident Anand.
In Goverdhan monkeys are a nuisance all along the parikrama route, and around Mansi Ganga holy pond. In Vrindavan, there’s hardly a lane without armies of simians who are thoroughly trained to target pilgrims wearing specs which are returned only in exchange for a pack of Parle G biscuits.
The simian problem got compounded after the ban on export of monkeys for research investigations. Hundreds of people are bitten by dogs and monkeys every year and the hospitals rarely have adequate supplies of rabies vaccines.
Can anything be done to contain the menace of stray animals? “Yes, since one can not kill animals here, they should either be captured and released in the jungles or sterilised to check their population,” says an animal rights activist.
In Agra, monkeys often attack the tourists at the Taj Mahal and other monuments. The authorities are now drawing up plans to round up the animals to ensure that the tourists and guests are not attacked, ahead of a series of G-20 meetings early February.
–IANS
bk/vd
