PRAYAGRAJ, Oct. 30 -- The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has unveiled a multi-pronged roadmap to tackle the city's growing monkey menace, shifting the focus from simple relocation to habitat development and waste management. The plan includes developing dedicated 'Kapi Vans' (monkey forests) with the forest department to provide the animals with food and shelter away from residential areas, installing monkey-proof dustbins to reduce food-related attractants, and creating a specialised database to track and respond to monkey-bite incidents, said officials on Thursday. More than half a dozen localities in Prayagraj are grappling with the problem; monkey troops entering homes, markets and public spaces, sometimes biting people and triggering panic among residents. Arvind Rai, additional municipal commissioner, said the proposed Kapi Vans would help improve monkeys' natural habitat and provide an alternative source of food and shelter, reducing their movement into human settlements. The environment, forest and climate change department has been designated the nodal department for the initiative, with urban local bodies also tasked with implementation, he added. The initiative is part of a statewide plan to develop Kapi Vans across all 762 urban local bodies in Uttar Pradesh. Of these, 120 have already developed such forests, while the remaining 642 have been directed to identify suitable land. The target for completing the initiative is 2028, officials said. Local and fruit-bearing tree species will be prioritised in the designated habitats to provide monkeys with a natural food source. Rai said improved waste management, public awareness and preventive measures at identified hotspots would be crucial to addressing the problem. The corporation will identify locations requiring special arrangements to prevent monkeys from accessing food waste. An awareness drive will urge residents not to feed monkeys or dump garbage in the open. The proposed Kapi Vans are also expected to offer an alternative food source through fruit-bearing trees. The plan provides for expert assistance in capturing, transporting and releasing monkeys to ensure the process is handled appropriately....