Okhla: UP govt calls for fresh proposal for eco zone

The environment ministry has asked Uttar Pradesh government to submit a revised proposal for declaring the periphery of Okhla Bird Sanctuary an Eco- sensitive zone (ESZ).

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Thursday in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, " The state government of Uttar Pradesh has been requested to submit a revised proposal." He added that his ministry was yet to receive the revised proposal.

A decision on the UP government proposal is going to be taken on the basis of the guideline laid down by the National Board for Wildlife on March 17, 2005, he said. The guidelines state "delineation of ESZ would have to be site specific and relate to regulation rather than prohibition of specific activities". The declaration of ESZ involves consultation with states and public, after the issuance of the preliminary notification.

Meanwhile, replying to another question, Javadekar said that of the 170 recognised zoos (excluding 22 circuses) in the country, 89 (large, medium, small zoos and rescue centres) have basic hospital facilities for treating animals.

He said that the remaining 81 mini zoos have the facility of a treatment room as per the Recognition of Zoo (Amendment) Rules, 2013. However, such zoos are using the services of state animal husbandry departments or veterinary colleges, he added.

Not all zoos and zoological parks in the country have well -equipped veterinary hospitals and clinics for specialised treatment of animals and zoo authorities have been availing of the facilities for specialised and super speciality treatment at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Javadekar said.

IVRI has been identified as a referral centre by the Central Zoo Authority, he added.