Maha fixes Rs600 fee to tackle rising human-monkey conflict

Chandrapur: Responding to persistent demands from elected representatives, Maharashtra govt recently issued a govt resolution revising the operational and financial framework for capturing and relocating conflict-prone monkeys. The latest GR allocates a uniform rate of Rs600 per operation across both rural and urban areas of the state.The revision, which updates an earlier resolution from November 2025, comes after public representatives repeatedly flagged inadequacy of existing financial norms, arguing that poor compensation had left authorised agencies ill-equipped to respond effectively to a conflict that has grown well beyond forest boundaries.Notably the rhesus macaque and Hanuman langur are the species most often involved in conflict cases. Once found mainly in forests and farmlands, these primates are now common in towns and cities, where they raid homes, damage crops, and sometimes injure people. Officials admit that lack of a clear and practical compensation system has long made field operations difficult.The revised framework standardises Rs600 rate to cover both capture and release, providing a uniform compensation structure for agencies on the ground.Conservationists, while acknowledging the administrative necessity of the move, warn that punitive or reactive measures will only go so far. Lasting relief, they argue, requires investment in habitat restoration, improved urban waste management, and sustained public awareness campaigns.The govt has also signalled that additional guidelines may follow as implementation is monitored.