Hyderabad: While attacks by stray dogs have already made many roads unsafe for children, the increasing presence of monkeys in key residential areas further added to the risk, while bat infestation is leading to fear of the Nipah virus among city dwellers.
The incidents have led to safety concerns and a standoff with municipal authorities over the removal of specific trees.
In Vikasnagar Colony, which is home to Dilsukhnagar Public School, residents are increasingly alarmed by the monkey menace. The primates have been spotted in large numbers, often causing chaos and fear among the residents and students of the school. Parents are particularly worried about their children's safety, as monkeys attack when provoked or teased.
Ramya Reddy, a parent, said, “It's become a daily ordeal to deal with these monkeys. My children are terrified to go out to play, and we've had several instances of them entering the apartments and creating a mess. We fear for our safety and the authorities need to address this issue urgently.”
In Himayatnagar’s street number 8, residents are plagued by a different problem, of a family of bats that has taken refuge in the Ashoka trees on the CPI party office compound. The presence of bats has raised concerns about the potential transmission of the Nipah virus, a deadly disease that can be transmitted from bats to humans.
“We are living in constant fear of the Nipah virus; we had similar concerns when we first saw them in 2020, right around the Covid-19 pandemic. The bats pose a significant threat to our health, especially to the children who play in the nearby school and playground. We reached out to municipal authorities for help, but they informed us that they cannot cut down the trees as they are on private property,” Ramachander Rao, a resident, told Deccan Chronicle.
Rao also said that the bat droppings in the vicinity of their residences is another major concern.
Chelmala Srinivasulu, a bat expert and researcher at Osmania University, said that while it was yet to be proven that bats or bat bites were a threat to humans, it would be better to stay away from them. “If you have a balcony or terrace garden and have bats around, be watchful of not consuming half-eaten fruits or other food. Their droppings are yet to be proven poisonous, but keep your surroundings clean,” he said.
Adding to the residents' woes, the same Ashoka trees have also become home to bees, intensifying the threat, as residents are apprehensive about being stung.
Abishek Vastu, a parent, said, “The situation is dire. The bees have already created chaos once, causing panic among students and the watchman's family. It's unfortunate that we are caught in a situation where we are unable to ensure our children's safety due to bureaucratic hurdles.”
They are now appealing to municipal authorities and wildlife experts for immediate action to address these pressing concerns and ensure the safety of their children and the community.
