Sir,
This has reference to the writeup ‘Monkey Menace in Jammu'(DE, Oct22, 2017).There is no doubt that monkeys in many places across Jammu region are posing a severe problem to the people in general and the farmers in particular.Their population and nuisance in some villages has increased to such an alarming level that farmers have left sowing crops which has affected their financial life.They eat or destroy various cereal crops, vegetables, fruits etc causing huge loss to the farmers.Not only this,they attack children and women suddenly causing them grievous injuries.In Udhampur, the villages of Jaganoo, Chirayai, Jib etc are worst affected by the monkey menace.They are expanding their territories with each each passing day and many of them can be seen roaming even in the cities scaring and attacking people.In Jaganoo, people say, there is no household whose one or the other member has not been attacked by the monkeys.Sometimes,the gang of monkeys scare the school going children to such an extent that they find it difficult to go to or come from school.The Government ought to take the issue of monkey menace seriously and take measures such as relocating them to the forests,administering them oral contraceptives and opening sterilisation centres to control their population. Moreover, feeding of monkeys on the roadside, at temples and other places, which is an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, should be strictly banned and violators must be heavily fined.Feeding them on roadside has adversely affected their natural habitat.Despite ban being imposed,some people can be seen openly feeding the monkeys on the roadside near Ban Toll Plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.Other measures suggested by the writers, such as planting fruit trees near the forests, using mild and safe electric current,creation of green islands and growing crops such as ginger, turmeric,marigold, lemon grass etc which are not damaged by the monkeys also need to be considered and implemented.
Yours etc…
Ashok Sharma,Flat No 4,
Housing Colony, Udhampur
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