In a swift and effective operation, the municipal authorities of Fatehpur have successfully tackled the persistent problem of simian nuisance by capturing a significant number of monkeys within a single day. A specialised team from Mathura was brought in for this task, demonstrating remarkable efficiency.
Swift Operation Yields Immediate Results
The monkey-catching drive was initiated on Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, the four-member expert team had successfully trapped 61 monkeys. The operation was strategically focused on areas that had reported the most severe issues. The team conducted its work in the reserve police lines, the PAC campus, and the Fatehpur railway station, where complaints from residents and passengers were frequent and severe.
Rakesh Gour, the sanitary inspector, confirmed the details of the operation. He stated that the captured primates were carefully transported and released into the Lamheta forest area, which is located along the Fatehpur-Banda road. This relocation aims to provide the animals with a more suitable habitat away from urban settlements.
Public Frustration Prompted Action
The decision to hire the external agency came after escalating complaints from the public. Residents in the affected areas described a situation of constant harassment and property damage. SK Singh, a resident of the reserve police lines, highlighted the severity of the problem. He explained that troops of monkeys would brazenly enter homes, snatch valuables, and create widespread destruction. The menace was not confined to residential areas; it also plagued public spaces like the railway station and the Anand Puram Colony.
Fed up with the growing disturbances, the municipal corporation took decisive action. They contacted the Mathura-based agency, which specialises in humane simian capture. Before beginning the trapping process, the team members conducted a thorough survey of the identified zones to understand the patterns and behaviour of the monkeys, ensuring a higher success rate.
Future Drives Planned for Affected Areas
Encouraged by the overwhelming success of this initial 24-hour drive, the Fatehpur municipal authorities are now planning to extend the campaign. The goal is to replicate this model in other neighbourhoods and public spaces within the city that are suffering from similar monkey-related troubles. This proactive approach is aimed at providing long-term relief to citizens and reducing human-wildlife conflict in urban areas.
The method employed by the team is systematic and humane. The experts use cages to trap the monkeys, after which the animals are securely placed in a van for transport. The final step involves driving them to the forested area of Lamheta for a safe release, allowing them to live in a more natural environment without causing disruption to city life.
