Unique ID for monkeys to avoid vaccination overlap: HC told

Give a permanent unique ID to monkeys.
This proposal was made today by an Agra-based wildlife protection group before the Delhi High Court to avoid the overlapping of vaccination to sterilise them.
The high court then directed the authorities in Delhi to prepare an action plan to deal with the monkey menace.
Wildlife SOS, which was tasked to tackle the problem in Agra in Uttar Pradesh, made the suggestion before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar which is hearing PILs seeking direction to the authorities to take steps to deal with the continuing menace of monkeys, stray cattle, peacocks and dogs and provide them shelter.

The NGO's proposal came after the high court on September 18 had sought to know from them the procedure they had adopted in Uttar Pradesh to catch the monkeys and sterilise them.
Wildlife SOS, in partnership with the Agra Development Authority and the Agra District Administration, have earlier held a series of sterilisation drives for monkeys in the city.

While elaborating on the steps to trap the monkeys and cage them, the group in their report said "the monkey troop will be conditioned to large trap cage with regular feeding".
On being asked by the court how would they identify the monkeys which have been sterilised, a Wildlife SOS member said "a permanent tagging will be done for the sterilised vaccinated monkey before releasing them".

"This will avoid duplication and overlapping of trapping. Marked recaptured animals will be identified and released at the site without subjecting them to any further surgical intervention or procedure," he told the court.
Taking note of the suggestions, the bench directed the Delhi government, municipal corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council and other authorities to prepare an action plan to deal with the menace monkeys.
It also directed that a meeting of all the authorities should be convened to frame a policy with regard to cows, dogs and peacocks, which are seen starving on the capital roads.
"The committee shall place their action plan before this court within three weeks," the court said, adding that "none of the agencies can ignore their responsibility towards the animals."

The court fixed the matter for hearing on November 7.
Earlier, the court had observed that animals need to be "respected" and "given a place to stay".
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had recently moved an application seeking modification of the high court's March 14, 2007 direction to the municipality to catch monkeys and relocate them.
Advocate Sumita Kapil, a south Delhi resident, in a different PIL had said a large number of dogs, pigs and monkeys were threatening the peacocks at the Deer Park here, causing them to leave the park and come out on the roads.
Another advocate, S N Bhardwaj, had sought action against owners of cows, roaming about on the streets, under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The high court's 2007 direction to the MCD had come on a petition filed by the residents of the New Friends Colony through advocate Meera Bhatia for direction to the authorities to take steps to deal with the continuing menace of monkeys, stray cattle and dogs and provide them shelter.