TIRUCHY: Tamil Nadu's first-ever monkey rehabilitation centre, which was constructed in MR Palayam reserve forest area on the Tiruchy - Chennai National Highway in 2016, has been waiting for expert opinion to start functioning.
According to officials, incidents of monkey menace and primates getting injured following stone pelting by humans are common in central districts. There are no facilities to treat injured monkeys or to carry out birth control measures, and the idea of a monkey rehabilitation centre was mooted to address these issues.
An official from the Forest Department told TNIE, "We planned to treat the injured monkeys and release them into the forest. If this centre starts functioning, it would cover Tiruchy, Peramblaur, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai and nearby districts." When contacted, Additional Chief Secretary to Environment Climate Change and Forests, Supriya Sahu, said,
"A proposal has been sent to the Wild life Institute of India, seeking expert opinion on equipment and facilities needed at the centre. We have to be careful about the equipment needed, qualification of doctors, operation theatre, types of treatment and other such issues." When asked about how long it might take for the centre to function, she said, "The building has been constructed six years ago. The reason for not putting it to use is that a very wide consultation is needed."