“We are barely able to bring relief to humans; we cannot afford to look into the case of monkeys now,” High Court Chief Justice M K Sharma observed.

On March 14, the court had given the government three months to rid the city rooftops of monkeys. “The MCD’s lethargy to catch monkeys and to fortify Bhatti Mines sanctuary with a high wall has proved that even captured monkeys are back in town,” counsel Meera Bhatia, earlier High Court amicus curiae for the monkey menace PIL, submitted in court on Monday.

However, her pleas did not shake the High Court’s resolve, with the Bench pointing out that “we have time and again passed several orders to put an end to the monkey menace. Now it is for the government to take over”.

Bhatia also said the court ought to issue contempt action against the government as the latter was unable to bring simians under the leash within the stipulated three months of the March order. “This government lapse has led to the death of city deputy mayor S S Bajwa, who fell to his death from his balcony after he was attacked by a horde of monkeys,” Bhatia submitted.

“This incident is indeed unfortunate,” the Bench reacted.

The said monkeys are a nuisance for patients at Bara Hindu Rao Hospital and AIIMS. “They attack patients who are being rolled inside the hospital, pull out IV tubes and scamper off to drink the fluids,” she said.

On tail-tale trail
THE GROWTH<
* First complaints of monkey menace started pouring in in 1999 — from 2,000 rhesus monkeys in 1980, the number had grown to over 5,000
* 30% monkey population lived in human habitation in 1980
* 55% had entered human territory by 1999
* 60% by last count, in 2002

THE REASONS
Deforestation: Encroachment in ridge area, cutting of trees

Trappings by MCD: “Monkeys move around in troops, so entire troops should be relocated. If individual monkeys are targeted, those left behind will get more aggressive and tend to attack; lone monkeys roaming away from its troop were behind all recent attacks.”

Sonya Ghosh, member of enforcement panel formed by delhi high court

Introduction of langurs: Engaged by MCD to tackle monkeys, langurs pushed them further into human inhabitations. Result: areas that had never seen monkeys now had them prowling

Feeding them: “Being fed constantly, monkeys are now depended on humans. It would attack if it is hungry.” Mike Pandey, environmentalist

THE SOLUTION
HC recently ordered to shift monkeys to Asola sanctuary in Bhatti Mines; 1,500 relocated there. “But this has to be done scientifically; entire troop has to be moved in (together).” Mike Pandey

THE NUMBER GAME
* 15,000 to 20,000: monkey populace in Delhi
* 1,200 caught by MCD from April-October 2007
* Worst hit areas: Civil Lines, Lutyens Delhi, Mehrauli, Anand Vihar, Hanuman Mandir, Patparganj, Kamla Nagar
* 324 monkey bites recorded this year till June
* 5 monkey-catchers for 12 zones in Delhi
* Rs 450 paid for each catch
* Rs 6 lakh (approx) spent by MCD on ads for monkey-catchers from April-Sept 2007

“We have asked for more cages from the Delhi government. We will get them soon.”

Dr V K Singh
MCD veterinary officer