25 Feb 2009, 0442 hrs IST, TNN
CHANDIGARH: Punjab forest minister Tikshan Sood assured on Tuesday to take up the issue of transfer of lions from Gujarat for Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir.
He was talking to mediapersons after laying the foundation stone of Falcon Complex on the zoo premises. The lion population in the zoo’s safari is under threat as its gene pool is quite limited.
“This is the most popular zoological park we have. We wish to make more additions to it for attracting tourists from across the country. Besides this, our animal adoption scheme has evoked a good response and department has received some queries as well,” Sood said.
The Falcon Complex, built at a cost of Rs 56 lakh, is part of the Central Zoo Authority of India’s project for preserving and breeding the species.
Chhatbir is the coordinating zoo for the programme.
“Rs 51 lakh will be spent on the caging and other requirements for falcons. We will catch the birds from the wild,” Dharminder Sharma, the zoo director said. Sood denied that government had proposed setting up a development park in the region.
Accompanied by zoo officials and Punjab Wildlife Department personnel, the minister spent over an hour in the 200 hectare zoo and enquired about the projects at hand and the proposals pending with various zoos.
As his ride to the zoo had been bumpy, Sood assured its management that he will take up the issue of release of funds for better infrastructure and more facilities at the park.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chandigarh/Govt-to-try-getting-lions-from-Gujarat/rssarticleshow/4186220.cms
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