“Wanted a person who can catch monkeys and also transport them to the forest area for release. Or, we are ready to train you and pay you handsomely” – if the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is to release an appointment ad it surely would be like this as it is desperately searching for professionals having the unique talent of catching monkeys!
Amid growing complaints of monkey menace in different parts of the city, the civic body is nonplussed as its traditional monkey catcher has been refusing to take up the task citing long delays from the time he caught the monkeys to releasing them.
“We cajoled and made him continue for quite some time but now he has quit,” said an official. The professional monkey catcher was being paid around Rs.600 for every monkey caught, maintain a designated shelter and release at the assigned forest locations.
The civic body has to seek clearance from the Forest Department before catching monkeys in the city and once trapped, again has to approach them for permission to release them at a location designated by the department.
As of now, more than 120 trapped monkeys remain housed at the five municipal shelters at Amberpet, Autonagar, Churi Bazar, Kukatpally and Jeedimetla for more than two months awaiting the release permissions from the Forest Department, the official said.
“We have been told the permission was under process for release of 60 monkeys in Khammam and 30 each in Warangal and Adilabad. These delays are a major issue since apart from feeding them for months, care of their health has to be monitored,” he said. The last batch of 90 monkeys trapped in the city was released in Adilabad in February 2014.
Stray monkey menace has been prominent in areas such as Padmarao Nagar, Vidyanagar, Chikkadpally, East and West Marredpally and in recent times, complaints were being received from parts of the old city too. According to officials, there could be anywhere between 2,000 to 3,000 monkeys roaming the city despite being regularly trapped and sent back to the forest areas.
With no professional monkey catcher available with it, a worried GHMC is scouting for persons interested in taking up the work and is even willing to train them. “No one is coming forward though we are offering around Rs.900 to Rs.1, 000 per monkey,” sighed P.Venkateshwar Reddy, GHMC Chief Veterinary Officer.
