HC seeks ICMR help to control monkey menace in Capital

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the assistance of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for controlling the population of monkeys in the Capital.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked for a report from ICMR, the apex body in India for formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, on a study on the issue of controlling the birth rate of monkeys.

The court also sought a report from the Centre on constitution of a high-level committee to examine the issue of safety, security and efficacy of immune-contraception vaccine to control the population of monkeys in Delhi.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Kaur Acharya told the court that a proposal has been moved for forming a committee to examine the issue of the contraceptive vaccine. The Bench, which observed it was concerned for human safety, noted that in Tamil Nadu monkeys were spreading an infection in humans which was dangerous.

A 17-year-old fight

Advocate Meera Bhatia, who had filed the petition in public interest in 2001 seeking directions to the authorities to take steps to deal with the menace of monkeys and dogs here, said it has been 17 years she has been fighting for this cause and the government has not done anything.

On the issue of menace of dogs in south Delhi, the court was informed by the municipal corporation that they have contracted out to NGOs for sterilisation of canines.

Sterilisation process

Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi contended that the sterilisation process was not being conducted properly.

Observing that there has been no effective result on dog’s population, the court called for videographing the sterilisation process.

The court also formed a committee to check on the effectiveness of birth control measures.

The court had earlier directed the Wildlife Institute of India to expedite the conclusion of the National Institute of Immunology’s (NII) project to research and develop an immune-contraception vaccine to control the population of monkeys in the Capital.

The court had remarked that many of the 20,000 simians relocated to Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary near Tughlaqabad in Delhi have escaped to surrounding area leading to complaint from the residents.