Zoo has no boundary walls on 3 sides; animals at risk

After the death of black bucks and neelgai in Bathinda and rabbits in the Ludhiana Rose Garden, the Wildlife Department has expressed concern about the Ludhiana Zoo as well, where security measures are a bare minimum. There is no boundary wall on three sides of this zoo and, hence, it is also at an equal risk as the animals in Bathinda.

While a boundary wall is being erected in Bathinda following the incident, the authorities are waiting for an incident to happen in Ludhiana for such action to be initiated.

A plan to construct boundary walls at this zoo and to add more facilities was mooted about two and a half years ago but no action has been taken in this regard till date. So much so, that even the water storage tanks are not able to meet the water demand of animals and even for other works as well.

At the moment, only a 10,000-litre capacity water tank is in this zoo, which has five tigers, a bear, birds, peacocks and few more animals apart from the plantation. Former Chief Warden Gurbaj Singh had admitted that the storage capacity is a bare minimum. He had stated that another 10,000-litre storage capacity tank needs to be built in the zoo. However, except for giving instructions, nothing has happened.

The zoo does not even have a back up generator which can refill the water storage tanks in case it is needed when there is a power cut. Search lights too are inadequate in this zoo, which are used in emergency situations during night hours.

When Newslline contacted State Forest Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani, he admitted all the shortcomings in the zoo., "In fact, the zoo needs a facelift and much more facilities apart from the ones mentioned above. I need at least six months to correct all the flaws. I have already started work at Bathinda and this will be followed in Ludhiana as well," he assured.

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