Dolakha, July 4

Locals have been at their wit’s end with monkeys destroying seasonal crops at wards 4 and 5 of Bhimeshwor Municipality in Dolakha.

Following the simian menace, the locals have hired co-workers to chase away monkeys and protect their crops. “The monkeys destroyed maize, potatoes and others vegetables in the field,” said Dilli Nath Sapkota of Ward No 5 of the municipality. He said he had hired a co-worker with a daily wage of Rs 600 to chase monkeys away from his field.

Sarada Sapkota, a farmer, said they were facing the problems during the paddy plantation season because of the monkey menace. “Around 60 to 100 monkeys enter our fields and destroy crops in no time,” she said. Sapkota also added it had become unsafe to work alone in the fields due to the monkey invasion.

Local farmers said the problem was not new to the area as monkeys troubled farmers every year. They said monkeys not only destroyed seasonal crops but also entered their houses, attacked people and destroyed stored food grains.

The locals have demanded from the local level that the monkey terror be managed time and again. Though the municipality has allocated Rs eight lakh to control monkey problems, effective measures are yet to be implemented. Ward No 4 Chairperson Haribasnsa Chaulagain said they could not control the monkeys due to lack of budget.