Himachal minister urges Centre to declare monkeys as vermin

Shimla, Sept 9 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Forest MinisterThakur Singh Bharmouri has urged the Union environmentministry to declare monkeys as "vermin" for one more year asthey are causing damage to crops and injuring human beings. Bharmouri called on the Secretary of Union ministry ofenvironment, forest and climate change at New Delhi and askedhim to extend the time period for killing monkeys under thenotification issued last year, wherein they were declaredvermin in 38 tehsils of the state, for one more year. He suggested that the Centre should considertranslocation of a part of the monkey population to the NorthEast in consultation with authorities concerned, as thatregion has suitable habitat for the animals. Bharmouri also requested for a review of Exim Policy andthe export of rhesus monkeys banned in the year 1978 beremoved. He requested the Centre for clearance of Rs 1,300 croreproject ‘Himachal Pradesh: Forests for Prosperity’, which aimsat speeding up pace of economic development and enhancingrural livelihood. The minister also demanded a pair of tigers and Asiaticlions for Renukaji and Gopalpur Zoos respectively. PTI PCL RCJSCRCJ