APSC JE PWRD: Monkey Menace and Governance

1. Context:
   • The issue of monkey menace has gained attention in Assam, with growing concerns about their impact on human settlements, particularly in Goalpara.
   • Assam’s Health Minister Keshab Mahanta stated in the Assembly that there are no government guidelines or allocated funds to address this problem.
2. Governance and Accountability:
   • The government’s responsibility is collective, meaning it must address public grievances, irrespective of existing guidelines.
   • The absence of guidelines should not be an excuse; proactive policy formulation is key.
   • Criticism: Funds are often borrowed for unproductive or politically motivated purposes, yet crucial issues like the monkey menace remain underfunded.
3. Impact on Society:
   • Rapidly growing monkey populations in areas like Goalpara have disrupted daily life.
   • Despite raising the issue in district-level meetings and forming committees, no effective solution has been implemented.
   • The issue reflects gaps in local governance and ineffective policy execution.
4. Animal Welfare Aspect:
   • Animal lovers empathize with monkeys, acknowledging that their encroachment into human habitats is often due to a lack of food in their natural environment.
   • Highlights the need for a balanced approach that considers both human welfare and animal conservation.
5. Suggested Solution: Sterilisation Program:
   • The Jharkhand model: Male monkey sterilisation successfully reduced the population over time.
   • Long-term strategy: Though results are not immediate, consistent implementation can yield significant outcomes.
   • Recommendation: Assam can adopt a similar sterilisation program as a scientific and humane method to control the monkey population.
6. Relevance for APSC:
   • Governance: Addresses responsiveness, accountability, and policy formulation.
   • Environment and Biodiversity: Balancing human-animal conflict.
   • Case Study: Jharkhand’s sterilisation program as a replicable model.
   • Ethical Dimensions: Humane methods for population control while ensuring public safety.
7. Way Forward:
   • Policy Formulation: Develop clear guidelines for handling human-animal conflicts.
   • Funding: Allocate resources for sterilisation drives, public awareness campaigns, and habitat restoration for monkeys.
   • Community Involvement: Encourage citizen participation in reporting and addressing such issues.
   • Research: Collaborate with wildlife experts to devise sustainable solutions.

Conclusion: The monkey menace in Assam highlights the intersection of governance, environmental management, and public accountability. Drawing from successful models like Jharkhand’s, Assam can adopt scientific and humane strategies to address the problem, reinforcing the government’s commitment to both human welfare and animal conservation.