MAPUSA
Admitting that the rising monkey menace has become a serious concern across the State, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the government will frame a comprehensive policy to tackle the human-animal conflict problem, drawing from successful models adopted in other States.
Replying to concerns raised by legislators, Rane said the Forest and Wildlife departments have been directed to prepare a detailed action plan to address the growing incidents of monkeys straying into residential areas and damaging crops.
He assured the House that the government would examine policies implemented elsewhere and place a structured policy framework before the Assembly by the end of the ongoing session.
The minister said officials have already been instructed to take immediate steps to mitigate the problem and reduce human–animal conflict. As part of preventive measures, fruit-bearing trees have been planted along forest fringe areas so that monkeys can find sufficient food within their natural habitat instead of venturing into human settlements.
“We will study the best practices followed by other States and assess whether they can be adapted for Goa. Our objective is to create an ecosystem where wildlife remains within forest areas and conflicts with humans are minimised. A well-structured policy will be prepared and presented before the House before the end of this session,” Rane said.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, however, stressed the need for a dedicated human–wildlife conflict management mechanism in the State. He pointed out that the absence of reliable data on animal–human conflict incidents hampers the government’s ability to formulate an effective and holistic strategy to tackle the issue.
Alemao cited the example of Kerala, which has put in place a comprehensive policy framework to deal with human–wildlife conflict, and urged the Goa government to adopt a similar structured approach.
Responding to the concerns, Rane assured the House that all available data with the department would be placed before the Assembly and that the government is open to strengthening its approach.
“I will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and examine policies adopted by other States. If suitable, we will incorporate those measures into Goa’s policy framework,” the minister said.
Earlier, Chandrakant Shetye, MLA from Bicholim, raised the issue of monkeys destroying crops and plantations belonging to farmers, particularly in Latambarcem village. He said residents are increasingly alarmed as monkeys frequently enter houses in the area, causing damage and posing inconvenience to locals.
Shetye also referred to a proposal by the Agriculture Department to deploy electronic gadgets to drive away monkeys and questioned whether such devices have been effectively used elsewhere.
He further sought to know whether the government has conducted any survey to identify areas with a high density of monkeys so that targeted measures can be taken to address the problem.
