The High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, suo moto impleaded Animal Welfare Board established by the Union of India, as a party in a public interest litigation (PIL) and other petitions, pertaining to the menace of monkeys and stray dogs in the city of Shimla and its surroundings.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order.
The high court has directed the Animal Welfare Board of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying) through Secretary, Faridabad, Haryana, to file suggestions to deal with the monkey menace posed to the city of Shimla and its surroundings.
The court has also advised Advocate General to consult other bodies such as Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirumala, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, where there has been successful eradication of monkey menace or bodies having scientific expertise in the eradication of the stray dog menace and file an appropriate report in this behalf on next date of hearing.
Municipal Corporation Shimla has already filed a compliance affidavit in the matter.
The next date of hearing is July 17.