KUMARHATTI: Accelerating its efforts to make monkey culling drive a success, the Solan district Kisan Sabha has convened an all political parties public meeting on 4th of next month. The meeting would be held at Shangri village in Chamat Bharech panchayat to get parties views on the measures to arrest monkey menace.
Talking to this correspondent here today, Mr. Pyare Lal Sharma the General Secretary of Solan Kisan Sabha has said that we want clear cut policy of each party on the problem. The monkey issue has crossed all limits and it could hit the economy badly, he said. The arable land on large scale has turned barren. The farmers were reluctant to plough the fields due to monkey fear, he pointed out.
Mr. Sharma said that the state government rather to support the culling drive has acted as hindrance to it. Moreover no compensation was being given to affected farmers despite repeated representations in this regard. The ban has been imposed on export of monkeys despite countries like USA and Britain has offered good money for monkey supply, he maintained.
At the moment the need of the hour was to lift ban on monkey export as well as setting new sanctuaries and appointing watchers at different locations, said Mr. Sharma.
The BSP, CPI and CPM have assured to take part in public meeting, he asserted. While positive response has come from Congress and BJP for public meeting, he said adding the pradhans of 50 gram panchayats in Solan district have also invited for meeting.
I wholeheartedly agree to the suggestion of capturing monkeys and exporting them. A smoked money sells for 300 Pounds; and even if each monkey sells for less, the amount of damage caused by them is phenomenal.
As far as religion goes, a monkey that destroys human property is by definition a demon. It is the duty of every Hindu to defend the God-fearing monkeys, who assist them; and by same token, it is the duty of every Hindu to kill the demons within and without. In a state where goat sacrifice was common even among Brahmins, Monkey trade can only help the economy.