The Uttar Pradesh state government has made a decisive move to tackle Lucknow's persistent monkey problem. They have officially handed over complete responsibility for capturing and managing monkeys within the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) limits to the forest department. This action finally ends years of confusion and overlapping jurisdiction between civic and forest authorities.
A Clear Mandate After Court Intervention
This significant shift in policy follows a recent order from the High Court. The court was hearing a public interest litigation that highlighted the growing menace of monkeys in urban areas. The court's directive prompted immediate administrative action.
Senior officials convened a high-level meeting to address the issue. The meeting was chaired by P Guruprasad, the principal secretary for urban development. Officials from various departments attended. They reviewed the alarming situation in detail.
Assessing the Urban Challenge
The officials examined several critical factors. They looked at the rising population of monkeys in city neighborhoods. They discussed numerous incidents of monkey attacks on residents. The meeting also covered road accidents caused by monkeys and the broader issue of human-animal conflict in densely populated urban zones.
The consensus was clear. Since monkeys are legally classified as wild animals, their capture and rehabilitation fall squarely under the mandate of the forest department. This legal classification provided the basis for the new policy.
New Roles and Responsibilities
Under the new arrangement, the forest department will now carry out all primary activities. Their responsibilities include:
- Scientific handling and capture of monkeys.
- Safe transport and relocation to designated forest areas.
- Long-term monitoring after the animals are released.
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation's role has been redefined. The LMC will no longer directly handle monkey-catching operations. Instead, their responsibilities will be supportive and facilitative.
The LMC's Supportive Role
The municipal corporation will focus on ground-level intelligence and coordination. Their specific duties include:
- Identifying and reporting monkey-prone localities across the city.
- Compiling and forwarding complaints received from residents, housing societies, and institutions.
- Sharing precise, location-specific inputs with forest department teams.
- Facilitating coordination at the ward and zone levels during operations.
- Providing necessary local assistance during capture drives when requested.
The LMC has committed to extending full logistical and ground-level support to ensure the forest department's success.
Expected Benefits and Timelines
Civic officials expressed optimism about the new system. They believe the clarity in roles will eliminate previous delays. Overlapping responsibilities often caused confusion and slowed response times. A streamlined process is now expected.
The government has set a strict deadline. The forest department must prepare a comprehensive action plan within one month. This plan will outline detailed procedures for every stage:
- Capture: Methods for safely catching monkeys.
- Transport: Protocols for moving the animals.
- Relocation: Strategies for releasing them in suitable habitats.
- Management: Long-term plans to monitor and prevent recurrence.
This structured approach aims to provide a permanent solution to a problem that has troubled Lucknow's residents for years. The focus is on a humane, scientific, and efficient resolution to the urban monkey menace.
