NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav on Saturday asserted that collaboration with Gujarat-based private animal rescue centre will improve the Delhi zoological garden, promoting knowledge-sharing on management and best practices.
The minister also hit back at Congress leader and former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, accusing him of creating doubt among the public regarding the collaboration between Delhi’s National Zoological Park (NZP) and Jamnagar-based Reliance-promoted Greens Zoological and Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC).
Yadav emphasised that the NZP has entered into this agreement to enhance its knowledge and adopt best practices, highlighting similar collaborations undertaken with several institutions and organisations.
In response to media reports suggesting the NZP management had been “handed” to the Ambani-promoted firm, the Congress leader condemned the Centre’s plan to “transfer management” of the Delhi zoo to a private entity. ‘Delhi Zoo is under the direct control of the Union environment ministry. It is planning to sign an agreement with the one and only Vantara and Gujarat govt for better management practices,’ Ramesh wrote on X, expressing concern about the Ministry’s lack of transparency and questioning its implications in larger conservation efforts.
In response, Yadav said the NZP aims to engage in MoUs with zoos and institutions to enhance conservation, research, and animal welfare.