Anurag Thakur Raises Monkey Menace in Parliament, Seeks National Action Plan

New Delhi/Shimla, March 17: BJP MP from Hamirpur Anurag Singh Thakur raised the issue of rising monkey menace in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, calling it a “national crisis” and demanding a comprehensive policy intervention.

Highlighting the situation in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said that farmers have been forced to abandon cultivation on over 70,000 hectares of land due to crop damage caused by monkeys. He added that the state has suffered an estimated agricultural loss of ₹2,200 crore between 2017 and 2024, with annual losses exceeding ₹500 crore.

Raising concerns over public safety, he pointed out that monkey attacks are becoming increasingly frequent, with children, women, and elderly people being the most vulnerable. He cited district-level data indicating that in some areas, multiple bite incidents are reported daily, creating fear among residents.

Thakur attributed the growing problem to factors such as the 1978 ban on monkey export, deforestation leading to habitat loss, decline of natural predators, and the absence of a coordinated national policy.

Calling for urgent intervention, he urged the Government of India to formulate a nationwide strategy to address human-monkey conflict. He proposed large-scale sterilization drives, adoption of immunocontraception techniques, habitat restoration, and a structured compensation framework for affected farmers.

He also emphasized the need for dedicated budget allocation and coordinated efforts between the Centre and states, stating that the issue has moved beyond a regional concern and requires a national-level solution.