Create Proper Machinery To Address Monkey Menace: Karnataka High Court Tells State, BBMP

In its report, the state has informed that from 2018 till now, a total of 56 cases of problematic monkeys have been recorded within Bengaluru Urban Division. The court, going through the details of permissions granted for capturing monkeys, found that private persons were allowed to capture and relocate such monkeys.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda, while hearing a petition filed by B S Radhanandan said,

"If this job is left to a private person who have no expertise, it will result in causing harm to monkeys which may attract penal provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act."

Orally, it added again that 'if this is allowed, then the incident reported from Hassan district of 38 monkeys being poisoned and stuffed in gunny bags could be repeated.'

"It is stated in memo filed by the state government that there is a helpline to receive information pertaining to sick and injured monkeys, we direct that wide publicity shall be given by state and BBMP to the said helpline."

The helpline number as mentioned in the report is 080-22221122.

The court had earlier directed the State Government to evolve a scheme on the line of directions issued by the Delhi High Court in the case of New Friends Colony Residents v. Union Of India (UoI) and Ors, for rehabilitation of monkeys causing difficulties to citizens of Bengaluru by entering residential localities, in search of food.

The state government and BBMP have been told to file their compliance reports by August 31 and the matter will be next heard on September 3.