Achabal residents in south Kashmir face ‘Monkey menace’
Locals demand intervention of concerned authorities
Anantnag: The presence of hundreds of monkeys in residential areas of Achabal hamlet in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district has become a reason of scare for the locals, especially the elderly and the children.
The residents of Achabal area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district said that for the last few years, they have been suffering as hundreds of monkeys are roaming in the area thereby irking the local residents.
A local resident said that around 500 monkeys are roaming in the area due to which children and women are scared to move out of their houses.
“Our children are very much scared and their movement remains confined to their houses as it seems Achabal has been turned into a zoo,” he said, adding that dozens of people were injured so far in the area after they were attacked by herds of monkeys in the last few years.
Another local said that despite taking up the issue with the forest and wildlife department no attention is being given to the menace.
Local women said that the wildlife department must take immediate steps as no resident is safe to live here.
“Our clothes put out for drying, our crops and even vegetable gardens have become the target for these monkeys who leave no stone unturned to destroy them,” the locals alleged.
They said that they have brought the issue into the notice of concerned authorities several times but to no avail.
They requested district administration to look into the matter at an earliest so that they can heave a sigh of relief.
