Nehru Zoo set for global standards

Hyderabad: The Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) in the city is in the running to be picked as one of the 10 zoos to be developed to rival the best in the world. The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is in the process of evaluating various zoos for upgradation.

The CZA is expected to complete the process by the end of April as per orders issued by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change. The impetus for a 10-year vision plan for zoos and upgradation of 10 of them to achieve global standards came from the Prime Minister’s Office.

It was following this development that the ministry set up a 13-member committee last October, headed by CZA chairman and former National Tiger Conservation Authority chief Dr Rajesh Gopal, with a mandate to prepare a 10-year ‘Vision Plan’ for zoos including selecting zoos for upgradation.

According to NZP director Dr Sidhanand Kukrety, the CZA committee met with zoo directors from across the country in December. Preliminary discussions were held on the upgradation and what the baseline for meeting such standards is to be, he said.

“We have a vision and are constantly working to improve our zoo. We will make our presentation before the CZA at the next meeting. One of the criteria for the selection could be an evaluation of the zoo by the CZA team,” Dr Kukrety, additional principal chief conservator of forests, told Deccan Chronicle.