AIIMS administration has asked veterinary physicians at its animal facility to conduct a community count of monkeys on the campus in a bid to find a solution to the simian menace there, which is proving to be a matter of grave concern.
According to a senior AIIMS official, a report in this regard will be submitted to the zoo authorities to enable effective measures to be taken for dealing with the alarming situation. There have been recent reports of residents and staff of AIIMS being bitten and mauled by the monkeys.
The Pioneer on August 8 had reported of an impediment in medical operations as an army of monkeys nearly damaged an emergency oxygen storage tank triggering panic. The monkeys held onto the pipes of the oxygen tank near the dental unit and shook them vigorously springing a leak. While the institute authorities stepped in to save the day, the monkeys remain unpoliced.
This is the first time the hospital has decided to do something to curb the nuisance. “The move is necessitated by the fact that even if one member of a community of monkeys is left behind in a particular area from where the remaining members of the group have been ousted, then the problem may get aggravated. Separation from their communities may cause the monkeys to turn aggressive,” said a senior doctor at AIIMS, citing research. Most of these monkeys are seen around the hostels. Anupam Kumar, a security guard posted outside the boys’ hostel, said the monkeys usually come in troops of 30-40 and cause mayhem. “Since there are so many, they prove uncontrollable. They harass visitors by snatching food and other items and roam around in the wards, creating a nuisance. They also rummage through the dustbins for food and litter the surrounding area,” informed Kumar, who witnessed their offensive on the oxygen tank. “Earlier their pranks were restricted to tipping over dustbins. Now they are a threat to hospital property,” added Kumar.
However, law binds the AIIMS officials from doing anything. As per law, the hospital administration cannot drive the monkeys out from the campus in the absence of arrangements for their rehabilitation, unless they leave of their own volition. Meanwhile, one doctor said that the monkey menace appeared on the campus after the simians were first brought to the institute for research activities. “After the research gets over, the monkeys are released. But they never leave the premises and familiarise themselves with the surroundings,” added the doctor.