By Amar Raj Naharki, Tanahun, June 27: In order to keep the monkeys in the jungle, the Division Forest Office of Tanahun has begun to plant saplings that will bear fruits for the monkeys.

The plantation of saplings that will bear fruits is expected to stop the monkeys from destroying the crops planted by farmers. The planting of fruits has begun in Umachok Community Forest of Myagde Rural Municipality -2.

The Chairperson of the Myagde Rural Municipality Mayadi Ranamagar has said they have begun fruit plantations in the forests as the monkeys were destroying the crops of the farmers as well as attacking women and children. She also mentioned that the Division Forest Office has also been helping them.

“The old fruit trees have stopped producing fruits and the farmers are no longer planting corn. Due to this reason the monkeys began creating pandemonium after coming to people’s homes. It is due to this reason that we began planting fruits in the forests,” said Rana Magar to The TRN Online.

Chairperson Rana Magar began the initiative by planting the first fruit sapling in the jungle. She also expressed the necessity of plating fruits in the forests as forests have run out of fruits as a result of which monkeys will keep creating havoc in the villages.

The Chairperson of the Umachok Community Forest, Shyam Lal Shrestha has said the local residents are delighted to plant fruits and nurture them as this will mean that the monkeys will remain in the forest itself.

.According to the Chief of the Sub-Division Forests Office in Myagde, Manoj Ranabhat, planting fruits in Umachok Community Forests to ensure the monkeys remain in the jungle is happening for the first time in Tanahun.

He said that the Division Forests Office was contributed 750,000 rupees for the initiative and has agreed to bear 20 per cent of the cost for the initiative. Chief Ranabhat further mentioned that the initiative to plant trees in the forests and run such an initiative was begun was started in the district of Myagde itself.

According to the Division forest office, 850 different fruit saplings have been planted. 20 rupees for a herb seed and 15 rupees for the seeds of other fruits was spent. According to the Chief of the Division Forests Office in Tanahun, Komal Raj Kafle, in order to reduce the conflict between animals and humans various species of fruit seeds such as the Indian butter tree, Jackfruit, Java plum, Guavas, Indian gooseberry, Bayberries, Cherries, Monkey Fruits,  Nepali Hog plum, Barra Berries and mango seeds have been planted.

“Even if you hit the monkeys using catapults they won’t stop coming to villages if they have nothing to eat. There is no alternative to planting trees in the forests,” he said.