The Delhi High Court on Thursday expressed concern over increasing population of monkeys in the Capital after the Centre was unable to give a clear answer on whether it was willing to import vaccines to sterilise the simians.
Complaints
“We want action, not discussions and meetings. Monkeys are not going to wait for your meetings. They are procreating each day. It is an hour-to-hour problem and brooks no delay,” a Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar remarked.
The court added that many of the 20,000 simians relocated to Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary near Tughlakabad in Delhi had escaped to surrounding areas leading to complaints from residents.
The court said despite numerous directions on monkey menace, since the plea was filed in 2001, the Centre was yet to take a decision on which Ministry was responsible for tackling the issue.
“Discussions and meetings should have been over by now. If you proceed like this, the matter will go on for another 18 years,” the court said.
With development of indigenous vaccine needing at least seven years, the Bench had earlier remarked that the scenario will get worse as monkeys continue to procreate.
It said the Agriculture Ministry should have taken up the issue of importing vaccines to sterilise monkeys as a project long back since cultivation in hilly States including Himachal Pradesh has been suffering because of them.
Vaccine issue
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Acharya told the court that she needed more time to take instructions from the government on the issue of import of vaccine to sterilise monkeys as it cannot be decided “overnight”.
The court, in response, said it will not be overnight for the government as the issue was being considered and pushed by the Bench since the past six months.
The court was hearing a petition filed in public interest by Meera Bhatia, seeking directions to the authorities to take steps to deal with the menace of monkeys and dogs in residential colonies in the Capital.
