Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday dedicated the Zoological Garden of Gorakhpur named after the great freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan to the people.
At the inauguration ceremony of the much-awaited project, also his dream project, the CM said that the Gorakhpur Zoo, the third in the state after Kanpur and Lucknow, would be a new identity of development to serve as a medium of tourism and means of employment.
It came as a big Holi gift to the people of Purvanchal which is projected to become the centre of knowledge and entertainment, he said.
He said that as many as 151 species of wildlife had already arrived here and the number would be increased to 400 soon. He told the zoo management that something new should be seen here by Deepawali.
He referred to the presence of Asiatic lions and Bengal tigers during his visit to the zoo and said among many unique features, it has a 7D theatre.
He also said that Gorakhpur Zoo will be opened to the public from Sunday and the entry of children will be free for one month with proper precautions of mask and social distancing in view of COVID-19
According to the Chief Minister the responsibility of conservation and upkeep of zoo lies with the citizens too. He appealed to people not to bring plastic or polythene to Zoo, to avoid damage to Zoo's property and protect the wildlife.
He gave the example of Lucknow Zoo, which he said is in its hundredth year and pointed out that its relevance as a tourism, knowledge, and entertainment centre, as well as a means of employment, is still intact today.
CM Yogi said that this zoological park has been named after Ashfaqullah Khan, the great martyr of the Kakori incident.
Recalling the sacrifice of martyrs, he said, "The Kakori incident and Gorakhpur had an unbreakable relationship. The immortal freedom fighter Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, also the mastermind of the Kakori incident, was kept in Gorakhpur jail and hanged here. The state government has recently built his memorial in Gorakhpur jail."
CM Yogi, during the inaugural visit, rode a golf car decorated in the shape of a tiger and went on a tour to inspect enclosures of various mals.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the 7D theater and the stall set up on the campus displaying ODOP products. He also watched a short film on the zoo at 7D Theater and released a booklet.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Dara Singh Chauhan, on the occasion, called CM Yogi Adityanath as an icon of eco-tourism and said the latter had turned UP into a hub of tourism and eco-tourism in the country.
( With inputs from ANI )
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