Following the death of four animals at Peshwe Park and Rajiv Gandhi Zoo at Katraj within a month, the civic officials held a meeting with the forest department officials and wildlife lovers today. The representatives of the non-government organisations (NGOs) lashed out at the civic administration, alleging administrative lapses.

Kapoor took over a dozen on-the-spot decisions based on the recommendations by the wildlife lovers even before the meeting was over. He also announced that implementation of almost all the decision would start from tomorrow.

Kapoor announced that representatives of all the NGO's invited for the meeting would be appointed as the members of the apex zoo advisory committee. Besides some other wildlife lovers would also be inducted on it, he added.

He announced a total ban on littering and carrying polythene bags on the zoo campus. Visitors will also be prohibited from carrying eatables and throwing gutka wrappers inside inside the zoo. Those violating these bans would be punished with heavy fines as per the provisions made under section 116 of Bombay Police Act.

Kapoor said he would be stepping up the zoo security to enforce the ban. Two guards will be posted at the main gate while one will be assigned to patrol inside the zoo.

Kapoor told the wildlife lovers that he had already issued orders appointing 50 additional labourers to look after the zoo. He also appealed the NGOs to organise reorientation courses to increase the efficiency of the zoo staff.

He promised that the inmates of Peshwe Park would not be shifted without acclimatisation. He assured that the zoo staff would maintain a cage chart on which entries about the health of the inmates would be made promptly. He also stated that the PMC was planning to create a new post of education officer to spread public awareness about wildlife.

The wildlife lovers made several recommendations to improve the condition of the zoo. Among them were to involve NGOs in looking after the inmates; increasing the administrative powers of the zoo in-charge; imposing a ban on carrying polythene bags and eatables inside the zoo; banning littering and throwing gutka wrappers on zoo campus and regulating breeding of inmates.