(IN): Meghalaya new zoo plan hits Peta wall

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080616/jsp/northeast/story_9415645.jsp

 

*Meghalaya new zoo plan hits Peta wall*

 

OUR CORRESPONDENT

 

*Shillong, June 15:* People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (Peta) has

opposed the setting up of a new zoo in Ri Bhoi district, saying the

Meghalaya government should first improve the facilities at Lady Hydari Park

where the animals are housed at present.

 

Reacting to a report that appeared in *The Telegraph*, Peta chief

functionary Anuradha Sawhney today said the government should allocate funds

to improve the condition of the animals at Lady Hydari Park rather than

establishing a new zoo.

 

Sawhney also wrote to the member secretary of the Central Zoo Authority, New

Delhi, urging him to deny permission to the Meghalaya government to set up

the zoo.

 

The organisation wanted the Central Zoo Authority to instruct the state

government to improve the conditions of the existing zoo.

 

The government has already acquired 74.31 hectares of land at Umtriew in Ri

Bhoi district for the new zoo at the cost of Rs 8.36 crore.

 

Peta, quoting the Supreme Court order of November 20, 2000, said a

significant improvement in the management of the zoos in the country is a

necessity. According to Peta, no new zoo should be established without the

approval of the Central Zoo Authority, the Centre and the Supreme Court.

 

" All stipulations laid by the Central Zoo Authority while granting

conditional recognition should be strictly adhered to within the time frame

prescribed by it, " Peta said.

 

Moreover, there should be a minimum number of supervisory level personnel,

as stipulated in the Recognition of Zoos Rules, 1992, to ensure the health

of the zoo animals.

 

The organisation also questioned the logic behind the shifting of animals

from Lady Hydari Park.

 

The state forest department recently shifted endangered animals, including a

pair of hoolock gibbons and a serow to Assam Zoo, after complaints from

Peta.

 

The organisation wanted the state government to relocate all the animals

from the zoo at Lady Hydari Park, as the zoo was not following the

prescribed guidelines.

 

 

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