‘`36 cr for zoo development’

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Environment and Forest Sidda Raghava Rao said the government would plant 21 crore saplings so that the state would achieve 50 per cent green cover by 2029.

He was the chief guest at the valedictory function of the 63rd World Wildlife Week celebrations at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park here on Saturday, the Minister said to protect the environment several eco-tourism projects were being taken up and to augment groundwater, programmes under Neeru-Chettu, Neeru Pragathi were being organised across the state.

“The government is appealing to the public to participate in these two programmes in a big way,’’ the Minister said. He said with the World Bank funds of Rs 36 crore, the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park would be developed as a world class zoo on the lines of Singapore and Bangkok.
Minister for Roads and Buildings Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, who was the special guest on the occasion, said the state with five crore population, and if every individual planted a sapling, the state would become greener.

He underscored the importance on creating awareness among the children on animals and plants and how to protect the environment. One class in week should be allotted for every school for creating awareness, the Minister said.

“Kambalakonda eco-tourism project spread over 17,000 acres was initiated during his tenure as Forest Minister in the earlier government,’’ Ayyanna Patrudu said.
Principal chief conservators of forest N Prateep Kumar and chief conservator of forests Rahul Pandey described how the zoo and Kambalakonda eco-tourism park were being developed on par with world class projects.

Curator B Vijay Kumar said World Wildlife Week was successfully organised on the zoo premises and 5,000 students visited the park during the week. The entrance for these students was free, he added. Senior officials and a large number of students were also present in the programme.