Float tender to feed monkeys in Asola Sanctuary in 4 wks: HC

Delhi High Court today directed the city government to ensure that the process of floating e- tender and giving contract for feeding monkeys in the Asola- Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary here be completed in four weeks.
Justice Suresh Kait passed the order after Delhi government, through advocate Zubeda Begum, informed the court that Rs 25 lakh have been sanctioned by Finance Department for feeding monkeys till March 31, by which time the e-tender is likely to be floated for awarding contract for supply of fruits and vegetables.
The government also claimed that no monkey was left hungry or died of starvation at the sanctuary.

Some objections were raised by the Finance Department which were sorted out "and now there is regular feed for the monkeys. It is further clarified that even during the time when objections were raised by department, monkeys were being regularly fed," she said.
The court, thereafter, disposed of a plea seeking contempt proceedings against Delhi government for allegedly failing to comply with the court's 2007 direction to provide food to monkeys rehabilitated at Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary here.
Delhi government, in an affidavit submitted in court, said in compliance of the High Court directions, it has issued an advertisement to stop feeding of monkeys at work places.

But despite such advertisements, feeding of monkeys at work places has not stopped and as a result their numbers have grown day-by-day in populated areas due to the fast rate of reproduction.

This has led the entire translocation process to become a "futile exercise", the affidavit has said.
As per High Court order of March 2007, food collection centres were required to be created for collection of food for monkeys shifted to the Asola Bhatti Sanctuary.
"Needless to say the concept did not succeed as the food quantity was as low as 20 kgs, as against the assessed weekly requirement of 4200 kgs at that time in mid 2007. Instead of shunning the project, it was imperative to look into the reason behind availability of little quantity of food at collection centres and steps taken to improve the operationalisation of the said food collection centres," the affidavit said.