Balconies to bedrooms, monkeys hold Noida society hostage

Noida: With grilles on windows and balcony doors tightly shut, the homes of Gulshan Botania in Sector 144 have turned into cages for their own residents while uninvited visitors — rhesus macaques or monkeys — roam in the high-rise freely. The residents are frustrated. They have sent out letters to officials from different departments but a lack of awareness among both the residents and authorities has failed to find a permanent solution. A resident of the society, Soumya, went on a trip recently. When she came back, she found her house had been ransacked. She checked the CCTV footage and found the monkeys were the culprits. 'The monkeys managed to slide the balcony window, entered the home and raided the pantry. They consumed whatever was in their reach,' she said. Social media accounts of residents are filled with images and video clips of damage caused by the monkeys, and it is one of the topics of regular discussion in the society's WhatsApp group. The residents have approached different authorities to lodge complaints. 'We have sent emails to the forest department, Noida Authority, district magistrate of Noida and several other people but have never obtained a response,' another resident, Arti Gupta, said. They have also raised repeated complaints on the Jansunvai portal but to no avail. Confusion about who is competent to deal with monkeys persists even in administrative circles. Monkeys have not been on the scheduled list of wildlife since 2022; therefore, the forest department can refuse to handle them. Advocate Akash Vashishtha, who is representing petitioners in a PIL filed in Allahabad High Court concerning monkey menace in the state, said that the matter of jurisdiction and role of the authorities was discussed in the court and the state formed a 13-member committee on July 15 to suggest long-term measures. 'The court has ordered the urban local bodies to continue catching the monkeys and translocating them to safer places away from urban areas,' he said. Those living in Gulshan Botania have often arranged private monkey catchers but are not aware of where they are translocated. 'We are not aware where these monkey catchers leave them because after a few days, they are back in the society and often more aggressive,' Gupta said. Earlier in Jan, Noida Authority decided to hire a private agency to catch monkeys and relocate them to protected forest areas in Greater Noida. 'A tender has been issued to hire an agency for catching unruly monkeys. The agency will install nets at identified locations and lure the animals with food. Once a monkey attempts to eat, the net will automatically lock,' an official associated with the Authority told TOI. He also mentioned that the agency will be paid around Rs 500 to Rs 600 per monkey for the catching. In addition, the cost of daily food supplies, including chana, moongfali and bananas, will be borne separately for each monkey, adding to the overall expenditure. General Manager (civil or public health-II), Noida Authority, Ashok Arora, refused to share any information and said, 'I am not looking into this department.' Recently, while hearing the PIL, Allahabad High Court noted that for short-term mitigation, civic bodies are responsible for tackling the monkeys and in the case of Noida and Greater Noida, the responsibility lies with the authorities. The residents have also discussed the option of rearing a langur in the society campus to keep the monkeys at bay but are unsure if it was permitted in law. Advocate Vashishtha clarified that the langur is in the scheduled wildlife list and cannot be reared outside the forest. 'We are aware of the hardships faced by common people and we have submitted a 34-point suggestion to the court,' he said. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Noida | Silver Rate in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida | Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Petrol Price in Noida | Diesel Price in Noida | CNG Price in Noida | LPG Price in Noida Stay updated with the latest Noida news. Download the TOI App.