NOVEMBER 2014
Bovine, canine and simian nuisance
in Braj Mandal
STRAY ANIMALS MAKE LIFE
HELL FOR PADESTRIANS
Mathura/Vrindavan
Stray cows, dogs and red-faced monkeys have made
life hell for residents of Braj mandal. From Vrindavan to Mathura and Gokul, and
from Goverdhan to Barsana, the bovine, canine and simian nuisance is causing
alarm after a series of attacks on women and children. The pilgrims are not
safe. Even the president of India was advised to be careful with his spectacles
while visiting the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan on November 16. For days
the locals watched with amusement the war between langurs, monkeys and the
animal rights activists who had the last laugh.
The local residents complain that despite
numerous complaints to authorities neither the UP Forest Department nor the
municipal authorities have shown any interest to contain the growing menace of
stray animals on roads and the exploding simian population that has made life
difficult for everyone.
According to the rules the monkeys can attack
humans but humans can't kill or shoot them, says a harassed resident of
Vrindavan Nandan Das. A Forest department official said "we have no funds for
these activities. Moreover when you can't kill the monkeys where would you keep
them?"
On every road crossing one can see dozens of
stray animals, old or sterile cows merrily grazing away, an injured donkey or
dozens of dogs chasing you wildly and if you manage to escape safely the waiting
monkeys will pounce upon you from the tree tops or balconies, often snatching
away glasses or the bags.
The nuisance is now unbearable, say people in
Vrindavan. "You can't freely move around the terrace, or keep flower pots.
Children and women in particular are the target of these marauding monkeys, says
Kunj Bihari. The monkeys start their journey a little after dawn and take the
circuitous route jumping from one terrace to another or running across streets
to settle on the Yamuna ghats where they hang around the whole day running and
attacking people. The return journey in the evening is equally devastating for
the residents of these mohallas.
"In the planned colonies or the multi storeyed
buildings the simian nuisance is not so alarming, because the houses are
separated," points out Mathura resident Anand Agarwal. In Goverdhan monkeys are
a nuisance all along the parikrama route, and around Mansi Ganga holy pond. In
Vrindavan, there's hardly a lane without armies of simians who are thoroughly
trained to target pilgrims wearing specs which are returned only in exchange for
a pack of Parle G biscuits. "Now some groups are hooked to Crackjack and
Fruiti," says chaiwalla Rakesh at Keshi Ghat.
The simian problem got compounded after the ban
on export of monkeys for research investigations. "Hundreds of people are
bitten by dogs and monkeys every year and the hospitals rarely have adequate
supplies of rabies vaccines," explains social activist Laxmi Gautam.
Can anything be done to contain the menace of
stray animals? "Yes, since one can not kill animals here, they should either be
captured and released in the jungles or sterilised to check their population,"
says Naresh Kadian, animal rights activist.
"Some years ago, the divisional forest
department in Agra had worked out a plan to shift monkeys from Braj area to
Terai or Chitrakoot, but Maneka Gandhi opposed the move. Since then no one dares
to even think of addressing this serious problem," recalls Nandan Shrotriya, a
priest of Mathuradheesh ji temple on Yamuna Kinara
road.
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