Monkey menace: Confusion over jurisdiction keeps problem alive in Delhi

Despite spending crores on catching monkeys from residential areas and relocating them to the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary, the national capital recorded around 950 cases of monkey bites and five deaths last year and is far from curbing the simian menace.

The primary reason why the problem continues to persist, according to many, is the confusion over who's responsible for catching monkeys or sterilising them -- the civic bodies or the forest department.

In 2007, the Delhi High Court had asked the city government to provide cages for catching monkeys and municipal corporations to place them at various spots.

The court directed authorities to shift the monkeys caught to the Asola sanctuary and the forest department to provide them food so that they do not venture out.

In a bid to prevent monkeys from returning to human habitations, it had also directed authorities to erect a 15-feet wall in "the outer area of the sites where the monkeys are to be shifted".

Officials said over 20,000 monkeys have been shifted to the sanctuary and there's no exact number as to how many are roaming free in human habitations.

Also, monkeys keep returning to human habitations from Asola sanctuary because the walls have iron joints that help monkeys escape.

In 2018, the corporations collectively caught 878 monkeys, with the EDMC catching only 20.

An official of South Delhi Municipal Corporation said rhesus macaques is a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which means the responsibility of catching and relocating them lies with the forest department.

He also cited an advisory issued by Environment Ministry last year that states, "Rhesus macaques is a protected species under the Act and managing such wild animals and their habitat is the mandate of the forest department and not of local bodies."