Bihar to sterilise antelopes, monkeys to curb menace

Rights activists slam move as authorities launch pilot project

Alarmed at the animals damaging crops, the Bihar government plans to sterilise blue bulls and monkeys to control their population. So far, the government had allowed culling of blue bulls, or Asian antelopes, but the move evoked widespread protests from animal rights activists.

Bihar minister for environment, forest and climate change department Niraj Kumar Singh recently held a meeting with officials from forest department and veterinary doctors to review the problem.

Various suggestions that came up at the meeting included hunting, live capture and relocation, reproductive/fertility control, temporary rehabilitation and rescue centre and on-the-spot castration. The state government now plans to sterilise these two animals. As a pilot project, the government plans to launch it from Motihar areas of Tirhut Forest Division in north Bihar.

Such has been the menace that farmers were forced to give up vegetable crops. Now the villagers are dependent on mainly traditional crops of paddy and wheat.

Massive damage

“We are working on a pilot project to solve the issue. Based on its success, it will be implemented in other parts of the state,” the forest minister told the media. Such has been the antelope menace that farmers were forced to give up vegetable crops that fetched them handsome money. Now the villagers are dependent on mainly traditional crops of paddy and wheat.