A Fortnight after the drama over the theft of marmosets,little has been done on ground to overhaul the Alipore Zoo. The incident led to the suspension of the zoo director and the authorities had assured that the zoo would undergo major changes to prevent such recurrences. The most glaring being the cage from where the marmosets were stolen on August 9,which is still in the same condition and is yet to be repaired. The marmosets,meanwhile,are expected to arrive in Kolkata from Chhattishgarh on late Sunday night. The newly-appointed director,Raju Das,had said the security will be tightened,CCTVs will be installed,boundary walls will be fenced,the hoardings will be removed and modern cages for the animals will be set up. So far,the only the number of private security guards have been increased from 23 to 68. According to Das,there was very little that he could do. All the changes that have been planned are going to be done by the Central Zoo authorities and even the maintenance is in their hands, said Das. There is a committee which is in-charge of maintaining the zoo,including the cages, he added. After the theft,Das had said that the Central Zoo authority would be preparing a master plan,including bigger enclosures for the animals. But when the marmosets finally come back to the zoo they will have to go back to their old cages from which they were stolen. After they are brought back to the city,they will first be sent to the zoo hospital opposite the zoological garden where they will be quarantined for at least another fortnight before sending them back to their cages. Sujoy Das alias Bubai,one of the accused in the theft,was produced in Alipore court on Sunday and has been sent to police custody for 10 days.
