The Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department will undertake a monkey census on June 29 to see whether the sterilisation of 68,000 simians in the state has succeeded in putting a much-needed check on their growing numbers, which stood at a whopping 3.19 lakh a decade ago. As per a survey undertaken in 2004, the number of monkeys in the state was 3.19 lakh and there were over 50,000 langurs. “After the census, we will be able to arrive at a final figure that will help us to say with certainty whether the sterilisation drive has proved fruitful,” said AK Gulati, Principal Chief Conservator, Forest. He said an action plan had been prepared to check the growing population of monkeys with a focus on developing monkey sites in over 3,000 hectares in the next 10 years. Each monkey site will be spread in the area of about 10 hectares and the emphasis will be on habitat improvement. Plantation drives will be undertaken to help meet-the-food requirement of the simians. These sites are being identified by the Wildlife Department in places where there is no human interference and ample amount of food is present. Currently, monkey sterilisation centres are being run at four places, including Shimla, Sastar in Hamirpur, Gopalpur in Kangra and near Una. Three more centres will come up at Paonta Sahib, Sundernagar and Chamba. Two new sites have also been identified near Una and Bilaspur. The experiment to set up a private protection park near Tara Devi in Shimla had failed and it was later shelved. Notwithstanding claims by the government, farmers are reeling under the monkey menace. In some areas, plagued by monkeys, the farmers have given up growing maize, vegetables and fruits. The devastation caused by monkeys in the fields has spread to most parts of the state. It has become even a major issue in the last Assembly elections. People have been demanding that scientific culling of monkeys must be undertaken if agricultural and horticultural produce of the state has to be saved. Action plan ready AK Gulati, Principal Chief Conservator, Forest, said an action plan had been prepared to check the growing population of monkeys Focus is on developing monkey sites in over 3,000 hectares in the next 10 years Each monkey site will be spread in the area of about 10 hectares and the emphasis will be on habitat improvement Plantation drives will be undertaken to help meet-the-food requirement of simians