Aurangabad, Dec 23:
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has sanctioned ' prior approval' for setting up Aurangabad Zoological Park at Mitmita to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited
(ASCDCL). The AMC has received the letter of intimation on December 17, 2021.
The deputy commissioner Saurabh Joshi said, " The CZA held a meeting in New Delhi and discussed various proposals including the AMC's Master Plan of the Park on November 16. It has granted 'prior approval' to it under
Section 38 (H) (1A) of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972."
According to sources, the CZA has also laid a few conditions. It has directed the AMC to obtain clearance from the Department of Forest for the new park, provide high standard facilities for the wildlife in it, appoint qualified staff and
seek approval before installing the enclosures for the zoo animals.
Earlier, the CZA has raised objections and it has ordered the AMC to shift the zoo as according to them lack of adequate space is pushing the wildlife into trouble. The space is not sufficient as per the density of wildlife animals. Besides, the AMC is also unable to develop natural habitat for wildlife animals in the zoo. Hence the AMC
administrator A K Pandey took up the matter and decided to shift the zoo on 100 acres of land at Mitmita. The ASCDCL has earmarked Rs 147 crore for the project under Smart Cities Mission. Meanwhile, the first phase work of levelling the
ground and constructing a compound wall (4-km long and height 12-foot) upon the land reserved for the Park, by spending Rs 11 crore, is underway at Mitmita.