HYDERABAD: Some residents of the Secunderabad area approached the Telangana High Court on Saturday, seeking directions to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to take immediate steps to check the monkey menace in the colonies of Padmarao Nagar and New Bhoiguda. They wanted the GHMC to detain stray monkeys in specially-constructed shelters. 

They further sought for the court to direct the authorities concerned to obtain permission from the Centre to declare the monkeys as vermin and to allow for them to be culled within GHMC jurisdiction.

The petitioners had reportedly purchased flats in MNK’s Vittal Central Court in New Bhoiguda Colony. They said a nearby open space had become resting place to more than 50 monkeys. As GHMC officials had not responded to their pleas, they had erected iron grills in the inner corridors to keep the monkeys out of the apartments. Recently, during an inspection, GHMC officials had found the grills to have deviated from the sanctioned plan and directed the owners to remove them. The owners, aggrieved by these directions, have moved the High Court for relief. 

When the matter came up for hearing before the court, the petitioners’ counsel submitted that it was the Corporation’s duty to destruct vermin, birds or animals causing a damage or creating nuisance as per Section 115 (20) of GHMC Act, 1955.  Instead of tackling the monkey menace, the authorities directed the petitioners to remove the grills, he said. 

“This was arbitrary, high handed and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution, including the right to live peacefully,” he argued and urged the court to stay the orders passed by the GHMC. After hearing the case, the judge granted status quo and posted the matter to August 19 for further hearing.