Agartala, Oct. 24: The divisional forest office in Teliamura subdivision under West district of Tripura has declared a cash prize of Rs 500 for catching a monkey alive after being harassed continually by groups of simians for over the past six months.
The sleepy subdivisional town of Teliamura, nestled in a valley on both sides of National Highway 44, is surrounded on three sides by two major hill ranges, Barmura and Athromura.
For the past six months, large groups of monkeys have been almost daily descending on human habitations and destroying houses and crops, besides injuring people.
“These monkeys are so aggressive that they are difficult to chase away with ordinary weapons like clubs and rods. They specially target women and have injured at least 15 of them in the past six months,” Teliamura divisional forest officer Rajat Kanti Das said.
He said following complaints and appeals from people, he had announced the cash prize of Rs 500 for catching a monkey alive within Teliamura nagar panchayat.
Das said Kalitilla, Gourangatilla, Jaynagar, Rajnagar, Shanti Nagar, Dahsamighat and Netaji Nagar were most vulnerable to simian attacks because of their proximity to the hill ranges.
The process of catching monkeys started today. Five tribal youths, armed with special nets, have been brought from Maharanipur to catch the marauding simians.
“While the specialist catchers will be rewarded in cash along with expenses for food and lodging, anyone within the nagar panchayat area who catches a monkey will be given Rs 500 in cash,” the DFO said.
He also said the Centre had sanctioned a compensation of Rs 50,000 for the kin of tribal priest Manmohan Debbarma, 71, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Bisrampara village in the subdivision on October 11.
Agartala, Oct. 24: The divisional forest office in Teliamura subdivision under West district of Tripura has declared a cash prize of Rs 500 for catching a monkey alive after being harassed continually by groups of simians for over the past six months.
The sleepy subdivisional town of Teliamura, nestled in a valley on both sides of National Highway 44, is surrounded on three sides by two major hill ranges, Barmura and Athromura.
For the past six months, large groups of monkeys have been almost daily descending on human habitations and destroying houses and crops, besides injuring people.
“These monkeys are so aggressive that they are difficult to chase away with ordinary weapons like clubs and rods. They specially target women and have injured at least 15 of them in the past six months,” Teliamura divisional forest officer Rajat Kanti Das said.
He said following complaints and appeals from people, he had announced the cash prize of Rs 500 for catching a monkey alive within Teliamura nagar panchayat.
Das said Kalitilla, Gourangatilla, Jaynagar, Rajnagar, Shanti Nagar, Dahsamighat and Netaji Nagar were most vulnerable to simian attacks because of their proximity to the hill ranges.
The process of catching monkeys started today. Five tribal youths, armed with special nets, have been brought from Maharanipur to catch the marauding simians.
“While the specialist catchers will be rewarded in cash along with expenses for food and lodging, anyone within the nagar panchayat area who catches a monkey will be given Rs 500 in cash,” the DFO said.
He also said the Centre had sanctioned a compensation of Rs 50,000 for the kin of tribal priest Manmohan Debbarma, 71, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Bisrampara village in the subdivision on October 11.
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