High Court Orders Urgent Monkey Control Measures

The Allahabad High Court has strongly urged the state government to ensure its newly constituted high-powered committee on the monkey menace convenes regularly and formulates a detailed action plan. The court emphasized that the committee's efforts must yield practical outcomes, stating that its work should not remain confined to paper.

The bench has requested the committee to submit its progress report by September 1. This order stems from a Public Interest Litigation initiated in May 2025 by Ghaziabad residents, who brought attention to the escalating conflict between people and monkeys in the city and other districts. The petition also raised concerns about the welfare of the monkeys, citing issues of starvation and poor living conditions.

The state informed the court that a 13-member committee has been established, tasked with devising a long-term action plan. Additionally, urban local bodies have been instructed to continue capturing and relocating monkeys from urban areas. The Wildlife Institute of India is also contributing by preparing a mitigation report and suggesting immediate measures.

Petitioners' counsel advocated for a decentralized approach, suggesting the formation of district-level committees to address localized problems more effectively. They also highlighted the need to include railway authorities due to safety risks at stations. The civil aviation department was recently added to the committee following an incident where a flight's takeoff was aborted due to monkeys on the runway.