The monkey menace in Bengaluru South (earlier Ramanagara) district dominated discussions in the Legislative Council on Monday, as several legislators appealed to the state government for urgent intervention.
During a debate on human-animal conflict, Congress MLC S. Ravi highlighted the growing threat posed by primates to homes and crops. Citing an example, he said fellow Congress MLC Sudham Das, who owns over 600 coconut trees, could not harvest a single coconut due to monkey raids.
Echoing the concern, JD(S) MLC Govindaraju said residents were being forced to cover their homes with nets to keep the animals out. Members further alleged that the forest department was relocating monkeys caught in other areas to Ramanagara, thereby worsening the situation.
Responding to the concerns, Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre assured that he would take up the issue with officials to work out a solution. He added that the government had been compensating farmers for crop losses due to wildlife, with ₹47 crore paid last year and ₹27 crore already disbursed this year.
The repeated monkey invasions have left both farmers and residents frustrated, as livelihoods are hit and daily life disrupted. Legislators pressed for a long-term plan to manage human-animal conflict, rather than temporary measures that shift the problem from one district to another.
The debate underscores how unchecked wildlife intrusion, if not effectively managed, can quickly turn into a socio-economic crisis for local communities