HYDERABAD: Stray dogs are not the only animals causing chaos in Hyderabad. Monkeys have been attacking and mauling residents, especially children and women, in various parts of the city. Unfortunately, very few monkeys have been caught in the last few years despite their frequent terrorizing of residents.
The monkey menace is particularly high in areas such as Padmaraonagar, New Bhoiguda, Osmania University, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Kapra, Marredpally, Alwal, Telecom Nagar Colony, Musheerabad, Uppal, Serilingampally, Ameerpet, Tarnaka, L B Nagar, Hayathnagar, and Gaddiannaram, among others, as well as in peripheral zones closer to the forest areas. During the summer months, hordes of monkeys enter the city in search of food, and despite numerous complaints, the civic body has been unable to do much except put some traps in these colonies.
Catching monkeys is a difficult task, and there are no monkey catchers in Hyderabad who can net the simians. Sources say that they are having difficulty finding monkey catchers, and the civic body has floated tenders for contractors to catch monkeys at the zonal level, but there was a very poor response.
The civic body caught about 62 monkeys in 2020-21 and 61 in 2021-22. One reason contractors are not coming forward to take up the job is that GHMC only wants to pay Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,600 for each monkey caught, whereas in other cities, they are paid up to Rs 5,000-Rs 6,000 per monkey.
Monkeys are a protected wildlife species, and a set of protocols must be followed, which is another reason why contractors are not too interested. Catching monkeys and releasing them into forests in Adilabad and other districts requires a lot of effort. After catching monkeys in the city, the contractor must ensure that they do not sustain any injuries or discomfort while in their custody.
The approved contractor is responsible for providing proper feeding, watering, and housing for the monkeys at their own cost. They must keep the house for captive monkeys clean and tidy.