HYDERABAD: Even if the skies remain clear, the Safari Park will remain closed for three more days. Officials hope to start clean-up process today. Incessant downpours over last one week have resulted in a loss of about of `2 lakh for city’s Nehru Zoological Park as Safari Park, on its premises, is filled with slush, mud and stagnating flood water. About `35,000 of revenue is lost every day the park remains closed, say officials. Add to this the burden of cleaning up slush and flood waters, estimated to cost `50,000.
Heavy water that flowed into the 100-acre Safari Park area from the adjoining Mir Alam Tank is still being drained out and the park will remain closed for at least three days for restoration work provided it does not rain anymore, say officials. Overflowing water, which is contaminated, can pose a grave threat to animals if they are let free, officials said. “Water stagnating on roads have receded. But cleaning process would take at least three days,” Shivani Dogra, curator, Nehru Zoological Park said.
Dogra claims there are several inlets from Mir Alam Tank that allows polluted water to gush into the zoo. “We are taking up works from our side on the zoo premises. But, civic authorities should do their part. The GHMC should remove encroachments on Mir Alam Tank,” said a senior forest official. The on-and-off drizzle on Wednesday did not deter about 3,000 people who paid a visit to the zoo.
CZA directions fall on deaf ears
A few years ago, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) had directed the Nehru Zoo to build a barricade to prevent flood waters from entering its premises, said a senior forest official who did not want to be named. “During monsoon in 2016 and 2015, CZA asked the forest department to construct a high wall to avoid entry of polluted water. Nothing has been done so far on this issue, except to widen the inlets and outlets, which are of no use,” official said, adding the apathy was putting lives of animals at risk. He claimed that there have been several incidents where animals have died after consuming contaminated water. However, Curator Shivani Dogra said the animals are safe and authorities are keeping a constant vigil to avoid any disasters.