File photo for representational purpose.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly is planning to hire people who can mimic langur's sounds to tackle the persistent menace of simians entering the Vidhan Sabha premises, officials said on Friday.
According to officials, there are dozens of monkeys near and around the location who create trouble, jumping on wires and dish antennas and breaking them.
The move comes amid frequent incidents of monkeys straying into the Assembly complex, posing safety risks to legislators, staff and visitors. The Public Works Department (PWD) has floated a tender to deploy trained personnel capable of mimicking langur calls — a method considered effective and humane to scare away monkeys without causing them harm, said the official.
The expert will also bring a langur to scare monkeys away.
"There were also plans to put langur cutouts, but we have seen that monkeys no longer get scared of them. Instead, they sit atop those cutouts," he added.
The official said they had langur impersonators, but their contract ended. A fresh tender has been floated to hire trained people who can mimic sounds made by langurs.
Officials said they plan to deploy trained handlers on working days and on Saturdays, with each person working an eight-hour shift. The agency will also be responsible for ensuring proper equipment, discipline and compliance with safety norms during operations, an official said.
There will be performance-based monitoring and insurance coverage for deployed personnel, he added. In 2017, the furry visitor had entered the House and interrupted a discussion on guest teachers in government schools.