The State Forest Department will begin the sterilisation of monkeys from October 6 at the wildlife rescue centre in Chidiyapur, Haridwar. Informing about this development, Forest minister Dinesh Aggarwal said that the sterilization work will be conducted initially at Chidiyapur and then be taken up at a similar facility in the Kumaon region of the State. Chief wildlife warden, Digvijay Singh Khati said that about a dozen monkeys had been caught by trained department staff so far. A monkey caught for sterilisation is kept for 3 days at the shelter before the operation and three days after the operation before being released. Simians aged more than nine months considered mature will be taken up in the sterilisation drive. At present there are two veterinarians on deputation at the rescue centre in Chidiyapur, he added.