Monkey menace: HC tells Karnataka govt to form panel

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to convene a meeting of senior officials of the forest department and the BBMP to strategise on dealing with monkeys in residential areas.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka observed that the authorities had a two-fold responsibility of saving people from monkeys and also saving the monkeys.

The bench heard a PIL filed by city-based advocate B S Radhanandan, who asked for a direction to constitute a panel competent to receive complaints from residents whenever monkeys enter residential areas.

The high court said it will be appropriate if a scheme is evolved to tackle the problem created by the monkeys in the city on the basis of the guidelines issued by the Delhi High Court in a similar matter in the National Capital Region.

“While protecting citizens from the menace of monkeys entering residential areas, the state government will have to ensure that monkeys are not hurt in any manner and in fact the monkeys are shifted to their natural habitat,” the bench said.

The court directed the state government to report compliance by July 12 by filing a statement and the plan evolved for dealing with the issue.

The petition contended that a large number of monkeys enter residential areas in search of food, while residents have problems reporting the intrusion to the authorities concerned.

The petitioner quoted the 2007 Delhi High Court order and prayed for similar directions.

In its decision, the Delhi High Court had directed the local administration to provide cages to catch monkeys. The directions were issued keeping in mind the duty of the state to ensure people’s safety while also considering the animals’ welfare.