The State government’s horticulture farm spread on a sprawling 35 acres at Achyutapuram in Aswaraopeta mandal has been virtually under siege by a 300-strong troop of monkeys.
Scores of ferocious simians stormed the farm on Friday, unleashed devastation by destroying hundreds of mango grafts, onion crop in pre-harvest stage and Sapodilla (Sapota) fruits.
The monkeys unleashed panic among workers at the farm by resorting to aggressive antics, obstructing farming activities.
Vexed by the spurt in monkey menace, the Horticulture Department staff sought the help of the Forest Department. The Forest Department officials deployed an animal rescue van in the farm to catch the monkeys and release them in the wild. However, the simians continue to outwit the staff and stay put in the farm.
The factors like deforestation and release of simians, those caught by the monkey catchers from towns, in the vicinity of villages have aggravated the monkey menace in several parts of the district, sources said.
The monkey menace has assumed severe proportions posing obstacles to horticulture activities in the farm, says R. Srinivasa Rao, Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, Khammam.
“We have earlier tried the biological control method to deal with the monkey menace by deploying langurs, but with little success. Off late, the monkey menace resurfaced on a vigorous scale,” he points out.
