Assam Cabinet Approves Study Visit to Tackle Rising Monkey Problem

BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia said that a seven-member team of Assam MLAs will visit Himachal Pradesh to study ways to control the marauding monkeys.
Saikia, who represents the Khumtai constituency in the Golaghat district, said that the state cabinet has already approved the formation and deployment of the study team, with the government aiming to arrive at a lasting solution to the problem. “The Assam government will try to find a permanent solution to the monkey menace. The cabinet has approved sending the team for this study,” he said. The proposed visit comes amid growing concern among farmers in parts of Assam over crop damage caused by increasing monkey populations, an issue that has repeatedly been raised in the state Assembly in recent sessions.
Citing a similar challenge faced by Himachal Pradesh, Saikia said the Assam government intends to study the measures adopted there to tackle the issue. “A similar problem was seen in Himachal Pradesh, where the government took measures to control it. A team of seven MLAs from Assam will visit Himachal Pradesh along with officials to study the steps taken there and prepare a report after the visit and submit recommendations, so that the problem of monkeys can be solved permanently,” he said.
Saikia said the monkey menace has become a serious concern in several villages of Assam and warned that if left unchecked, the problem could threaten agricultural output and lead to a food crisis in the state.