Mathura municipal body nabs 100 monkeys, efforts on to catch more

Mathura

The municipal body of Mathura has started nabbing monkeysunder a 15-day programme initiated to deal with the menace caused by theanimals in the city.

In the programme started on September 1, over 100 monkeys have been nabbed sofar, said Anunay Jha, Nagar Ayukta Mathura.

He said monkeys would be nabbed from Bankey Bihari temple area Vrindavan,Chaubia para and Dwarkadhish temple area of Mathura in the first phase of theprogramme.

However, other areas may be taken up after evaluating the success of the firstphase, subject to permission of the forest department, officials said. Theforest department has given permission to run the programme for 15 days fornow.

The monkeys caught from near the temples would be released in the forestreserve of Chambal, officials said.

A veterinary doctor has also been engaged to look after the health of themonkeys, they added. The monkeys nabbed in a day would be released thefollowing day, officials said, adding that Nagar Nigam would spend Rs 88 permonkey.

The notorious monkeys in Vrindavan would either whisk away people's spectacles,bag and food among other items. Over half a dozen people had to lose their lifeeither due to attack or fear of monkeys in Vrindavan within (last) two years,said Dr. Avashesh Swami, the head of Gita Ashram Vrindavan said.

Dr Mukul Anand, Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Physiology at Pt.Deen Dayal Veterinary university, said the exercise would pay rich dividend inthe long term as it would check the growth of monkeys provided the focus is onone sex.