Monkey menace drives migration among farmers in Bhojpur

BHOJPUR, Nov 21: The major problem facing the farmers in Bhojpur district has been monkey menace and it is one of the main push factors for their migration.

Farmers at Bastim, Dalgaun, Manebhanjyang, Khawa, Kot, Gogane, Lekharka Bokhim and Dhodlekhani among others are troubled by monkeys.

Due to the monkey menace, many farmers have kept the arable land barren. Deep Kumar Magar of Ramprasadrai Rural Municipality, lamented that they were compelled to leave the arable land barren because it was very difficult for them to protect crops from these wild beasts.

Magar shared that monkeys were a peskier problem than lack of fertilizers and seedlings for farmers. He shared that if a troop of monkeys entered their farmland, it would not take them time to devour the crops.

"That is why we have been forced to leave our land fallow rather than let the monkeys gobble up our crops," wailed the affected farmer.

It is becoming more troublesome for the farmers since the monkeys became increasingly difficult to be driven away, added another farmer Ganga Prasad Pradhan. Due to monkey mischief, they were harvesting the crops ahead of their time, Pradhan confessed.

"It is not possible to chase away the monkeys that come to farmland. Monkeys here do not fear children, women and elderly people. Youths cannot keep an eye on the crops all the time," he divulged.

Tek Bahadur Tamang said that they migrated elsewhere after the troops of monkeys caused troubles for them. In many human settlements, monkey menace is driving migration.

Tamang worried, "Some human settlements are at risk of being vacant due to monkey menace. Farmers consider it wiser and safer to migrate elsewhere than to fend off crops from monkeys."

Maize farming, rice farming and fruits farming have been hardest hit by monkey menace. Although efforts were made to chase away monkeys using some tools and equipment, monkeys appear to become immune against such tricks and tweaks and have become more apathetic lately.

"Monkeys have become apathetic towards any measures we exercise to drive them away. In no time, they eat up the crops that we consume for a year. If this crisis persists, more and more farmers would quit farming and opt for other alternatives," Tamang admitted anxiously.

All the monkey menace affected farmers here view that the State and local government should seek appropriate alternatives to control monkey menace.

(RSS)