Africa importing vaccines to sterilise monkeys, why can't India: HC asks govt

The Delhi High Court today came down heavily on the government for not importing a vaccine for sterilising monkeys and dogs to control their rising population in the national capital when African countries have already done it. The court said that countries in Africa have been able to control the monkey population by importing the vaccine and it should be done in India also as it is in "larger public interest" and in "animals interest". "Africa is importing the vaccine, why can't India do it? Africa has been able to control the monkeys' population," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said. The court also noted that despite its previous order, it has not received any response from Wild Life Institute of India which was asked to expedite the conclusion of the National Institute of Immunology's project to develop an immune-contraception vaccine to control the population of monkeys. The court appointed senior advocate Sanjay Jain, who earlier used to represent the Centre in the matter, as amicus curiae to assist it. Meanwhile, the three municipal corporations also filed their status reports on the position of sterilisation of dogs and the court said it was necessary to have a report on the ground reality of the work undertaken by the civic bodies. The court fixed the matter for hearing on March 22. The bench had earlier directed the authorities to prepare a plan to control the increasing population of monkeys and dogs, known to have attacked people. The court had also called for expediting the process of developing such a vaccine for immuno-contraception, which would use an animal's immune response to prevent pregnancy. The court was hearing a PIL, filed through advocate Meera Bhatia, seeking directions to the authorities to take steps to deal with the menace of monkeys and dogs here. Another plea by advocate Sumita Kapil, a south Delhi resident, claimed that a large number of dogs, pigs and monkeys were threatening the peacocks at the Deer Park there, causing them to leave the park and come out on the roads. The plea had also said the animals were harming environment as their excreta was making it difficult for people to breathe or walk in the park. "The excreta of dogs and pigs are surely not helping in 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'," it had said.

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