NEW DELHI: The residents of Vijay Niketan, DDA apartments in Naraina Vihar, have been grappling with a rapid increase in the number of stray dogs and monkeys in the locality. Residents claimed that over the past two years, there has been a drastic increase in the number of monkeys in the area, who have made life difficult for the residents.
Incidents of stray dog bites have also surged in the locality, they claimed.
“Before summer this year, the monkeys would usually leave the area once monsoon or winter set in. However, this year they didn’t leave,” said Dr Rajesh Sood, RWA president, H Block, Vijay Niketan.
The presence of monkeys became a serious issue once they started biting and attacking unsuspecting children and adults.“The matter has now gotten worse. Children are afraid to step out of their houses. There have been cases where a group of these monkeys have attacked children, leaving them outnumbered and helpless,” Sood noted.
Another resident, Shiv Kumar Tripathi, mentioned that the monkeys have even started entering their houses. “Almost every day, they appear on some of the rooftops and break water-pipelines or flower pots.
They also steal clothes found hanging outside. Residents have to bear the cost of repairing these water pipes. We always have to keep our doors and windows closed during day-time,” Tripathi stated.
The trouble of the residents doesn’t end there, though. Over the past few months, incidents of dog attacks have also drastically increased in the locality. “The dogs usually target children. They hide below cars or inside buildings and randomly charge at the children. The problem of shortage of anti-rabies vaccine available at government hospitals doesn’t help our situation either,” Sood said.
For the residents, what has been disappointing is the response from the authorities – the civic bodies especially, as resolving the issues directly falls under their purview. “The residents want the best of facilities as promised by the authorities. But we have been left utterly disappointed,” said Vikrant Gogia, who lives in B Block of Vijay Niketan.
Gogia further noted that the staff sent by the civic bodies are often reluctant to put in much effort stating that they are not paid on time.
Sood said that a letter had even been written to LG which was then forwarded to North Delhi Municipal Corporation.“The vet department of Karol Bagh zone said that they have only two monkey catchers. This has been their response,” he stated.
Chhail Bihari Goswami, Naraina Vihar councillor, told this newspaper that the MCD on request of the RWAs has put up cages to catch the monkeys and have been sterilizing stray dogs.“Monkeys are clever. Whenever they see our staff approaching them, they run away. We are looking to put an end to this problem as soon as possible, though,” he said.