The pressing issue of the monkey menace, which significantly influenced the recent panchayat elections, took center stage on the opening day of the winter session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday. Congress MLA from Dornakal, Jatoth Ramachandru Naik, brought the matter to the fore during the zero hour, highlighting the severe distress faced by his constituents.
Farmers Bear the Brunt of Simian Onslaught
Jatoth Ramachandru Naik presented a grim picture of the agricultural crisis unfolding in his assembly constituency. He stated that farmers are facing immense difficulties as monkeys are relentlessly damaging crops, leading to significant financial losses. The MLA pointed out that the population of monkeys has seen a sharp increase, exacerbating the problem.
He urged the state government to take immediate and concrete measures to control the simian population. One of his key suggestions was the establishment of castration centres. Furthermore, Naik also called for government intervention to address the parallel menace of stray dogs, citing incidents of packs attacking people during night hours.
Speaker Echoes Concerns, Seeks Serious Solutions
Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar intervened in the discussion, confirming that the monkey menace is not an isolated issue but a widespread problem across Telangana. He acknowledged that monkeys are creating havoc in several areas, specifically damaging farmers' agricultural produce, and stressed that the situation needs to be resolved effectively.
The speaker suggested that the government must deal with the issue with utmost seriousness. He advocated for finding effective, long-term solutions to protect the farming community. Interestingly, Speaker Kumar also emphasized the need to provide some form of shelter to the monkeys, indicating a balanced approach to human-wildlife conflict.
A Long-Standing Electoral and Judicial Issue
The problem of monkey aggression has evolved into a major political and administrative challenge. It was one of the dominant issues during the campaign for the recently concluded panchayat polls, with villagers across constituencies demanding concrete and actionable plans from candidates.
The issue has also reached the judiciary. In March this year, the Telangana High Court directed the state government to explain the measures it is taking to address the monkey menace, which has emerged as a critical concern in both rural and urban landscapes. The government has previously discussed a range of potential solutions, including:
- Implementing large-scale sterilization programs.
- Capturing and relocating monkeys to forest areas.
- Involving private agencies in management efforts.
Within Hyderabad city limits, residents have repeatedly urged the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to tackle incidents of human-monkey conflict. Experts attribute the rising simian problem to factors like deforestation and habitat encroachment, which have forced monkeys out of their natural environments and into human settlements in search of food and shelter.
