Left with no option to fight the problem, the National Board for Wildlife, the policy making body on wildlife related issues whose chairman is the Prime Minister, has decided to take up the issue  with him during its meeting in New Delhi on October 15. A newly appointed member of the board, UP Principal Chief Conservator of Forests(PCCF) RL Singh, said that the problem was growing out of hand and needed immediateattention from the highest level (Prime Minister).In fact, many other citiesin North India, and even in South India, are afflicted with the problem. “Therehave been regular complaints from Varanasi, Allahabad, Mathura and Ayodhya,” thePrincipal Chief Conservator of Forests said, adding the people in these citieswere living in fear. He advocated a rehabilitation zone for such monkeys.Thousandsof people are falling victim to the menace in various parts of Lucknow.  Themost affected are the schoolchildren. There have been complaints about monkeyssnatching away tiffin boxes and attacking themResidents of Sarvoday Nagar, ShaktiNagar and Dalibagh are living in a reign of terror. They keep their doors closed,mount netted grills on widows and cover roofs with iron grills, thanks to theboisterous monkeys.Sarvoday Nagar resident JC Pant said, “Monkeys haveinjured my kid and mother and also damaged the gate and overhead water tank.They have made life miserable for everyone.” So far, about a dozen peoplehave been injured in the locality.Another resident of the same locality, MC Tewari,says vegetable vendors have stopped coming to the area due to the menace. “It’sa full-time duty for us to keep belongings safe from them. If we try to scarethem away, they pounce upon us,” he said.“A few residents knockedthe doors of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and Forest Department, but invain,” Pant said.“We have done everything to keep the monkeys atbay but they somehow manage to sneak in the home and damage belongings,” sayshelpless Savitri Shukla of Dalibagh locality. Monkeys have hurt her twice.ShaktiNagar residents are also troubled by the  menace. About six people havebeen hurt in the area. “Recently, monkeys damaged a mobile phone of anengineer but the authorities are doing little to curb the menace,” saidKC Bhatt