Monkeys add woes to Butwal locals

By Kapil Gyawali,Siddharthnagar, Mar. 2: The people in Butwal Sub Metropolitan City were surprised when the monkeys from the Chure area started entering their houses and attacking them. 

As the monkeys from the Chure hills have started moving closer to the Butwal market, the locals are facing additional problems to protect their houses and stored foods. The monkeys not only steal and eat food from their houses but also attack the people.

With the rising number of people getting injured in monkey attacks, pressure is mounting on public officials to address the issue. 

“The monkeys enter every house in northwest Butwal. We must keep windows and doors closed. Women, children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to the monkeys,” said Asmita Pradhan of Butwal Ward No. 1.

Even though there is a forest near Butwal, the monkeys' food sources are diminishing. As a result, monkeys venture into the city and snatch food from children, and the devotees visiting temples.

It is estimated that around 300 to 500 monkeys are now in Butwal Sub Metropolis. While monkeys damaging crops in the hilly areas is not new, their presence in the Tarai markets is particularly challenging. People find it difficult to move around or keep food in their homes due to the even increasing number of monkeys.

Locals in Butwal's old Batauli Market have to struggle to keep food safe due to the rising number of monkeys in the area. Chasing them often leads to bites and other injuries. More affected are the people from Ward Nos. 1 to 6.

The monkeys have also caused chaos in the areas like Old Butwal, Mainabagar, Phulbari, Golpark, Chidiakhola, Jyotinagar, Amarpath, Kalikanagar and Devinagar. 

We are facing a lot of troubles after the monkeys started entering houses in the market, said Narendra Basnet, Chairman of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-1. “Now we are worried about how to manage them,” he added.

Hari Shrestha, Chairman of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan-5, said that a study on controlling monkeys has commenced. “The problem is getting worse every year. Since I was elected as Ward Chairman, I have been researching how to handle the monkeys,” he added.

Even business owners complain that monkeys suddenly raid their sweet shops causing losses to their businesses.