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Rs 15 cr to be spent on PCMC zoo

Siddharth Gaikwad, TNN 3 September 2009,

01:25am IST

 

PUNE: A breeding centre for endangered animals, collection of butterflies,

museum housing models of extinct animals, a library and nature centre are some

of the facilities that will come up at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal

Corporation (PCMC)-run Bahinabai Chaudhary zoo as the Central Zoo Authority of

India (CZAI) has approved a masterplan to redevelop the zoo.

 

Speaking to TOI, Subhash Dumbre, additional commissioner said,

" Approximately Rs 15 crore will be spent on implementation of the master

plan during next five years. The money will be spent on creating facilities

as per the masterplan and provision will be made for the development of the

zoo in next year's budget. We will also start the redevelopment work next

year. "

 

The total cost includes Rs 2.07 crore for building, Rs 3.37 crore for basic

amenities and Rs 9.46 crore for wildlife related works (like cages and

veterinary care facilities). The PCMC will receive Rs 5 crore grant from the

CZAI. The zoo will house 20 types of reptiles, three types of amphibians and

10 species of water birds.

 

Giving details of the masterplan, Anil Khaire, director of the Bahinabai

Chaudhary zoo said, " There will be a breeding centre for endangered

amphibians. Here endangered species of frogs and toads of our region will be

bred. A beautiful lake will be developed for water birds like moorhens,

whistling ducks, ibis, herons and egrets. There will be a large enclosure

for crocodiles and alligators. We will bring more crocodiles and alligators

from other parts of the country through the CZAI. "

 

Khaire said, " There will be a butterfly collection and breeding centre. We

will prepare an enclosure having a combination of natural and artificial

habitats. Local varieties of butterflies will be bred here. There will be a

separate cell for reptiles. "

 

Khaire stated that a museum housing models of animals that have become

extinct will also be set up. " A nature and interpretation centre will also

be built. Documentary films on environment and wildlife will be screened at

the audio-visual centre. There will be a well-equipped library with

literature on wildlife. The CZAI has started giving important books on

wildlife to all the zoos in the country and we have also received some of

them, " said Khaire.

 

He said the reptile section will house 20 varieties including snakes found

in the Western Ghats like pit viper, grass snake, trinket snake and python.

There will be tortoise, turtles and monitor lizards in this section.

 

Speaking about the medical facilities to be developed, Khaire said, " A

well-equipped operation theatre will be developed in the zoo. Now we take

the animals to the PCMC's veterinary hospital in Pimpri for treatment but we

plan to develop a parallel facility in the zoo itself. "

 

The zoo will also develop a system to deal with emergency situation like

fire and trespassing in animal enclosures. Computers will be used

extensively for managing daily activities in the zoo. The information about

feeding animals, cleaning enclosures and other activities will be fed into

the computer and this information will be accessible online.

 

The Bahinabai Chaudhary zoo is spread over an area of seven acres in

Sambhajinagar area of Akurdi. There are three panthers, birds like the

peafowl, peacock and different varieties of snakes, a few crocodiles, ducks

and a dozen monkeys different types. Besides, there's a small ticket-booking

centre at the entrance and another small office inside the zoo.