Monkey business continues in Bengaluru, residents helpless

Sattar Layout in Lakkasandra is under siege by mischievous monkeys. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Even after the high court’s orders to the BBMP and the forest department to find solutions to the monkey menace, the marauding primates continue to wander in residential areas of Bengaluru.

The BBMP responded to the court’s mandate by launching a helpline and introducing a new SOP to relocate monkeys half a year ago. However, these measures have failed to alleviate the issue for citizens.

Blessy Issac, a resident of Lakkasandra, said, “The monkeys create such problems that they drop things from the terrace and balcony. Sometimes, they are life-threatening. I called the BBMP, which directed me to the regional forest officer. But even after multiple follow-ups, the officer did not help us.”

According to some residents, the monkeys return even after they are relocated, and officials do not respond to these requests. While BBMP officials maintain that they lack the know-how to capture the monkeys and only relay the grievances to the forest department, a senior forest department official explained that they make efforts to tackle the problem but it’s not an easy task.

“As per the new SOP, we cannot shift the monkeys directly. There is a line of permissions to take, and that takes time. Also, we have to engage trained rescuers and look for a natural habitat to relocate them. This is time-consuming,” the official said.

The forest department also finds it challenging to relocate monkeys. “It is not that simple. Though we try to do our best, animal protection laws and activists do not allow us to take action immediately and do not give us a free hand,” a senior official said.

A senior BBMP official emphasised that people must act responsibly to tackle the issue. They advised individuals not to feed monkeys, maintain cleanliness on their premises, and avoid playing with them.

A senior official said that monkey habitats had been encroached upon in a few places, and people should understand that. “People should also learn to accept them and live with them,” the official added.