Chennai, Feb 23 (BPNS)

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has given its approval for building a zoo at Tiruchi, which will be the fifth facility in Tamil Nadu. The Zoo, according to the Tamil Nadu forest department will come in an area of 30 hectares.

Tamil Nadu forest department sources told BPNS that the Central Zoo Authority has sent a formal communication about approval to the Tamil Nadu Chief Wild Life Warden.

As part of the zoo, area is coming under the reserve forest area, the state forest department is in the process to obtain clearance under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Forest department sources said that the CZA approval is subject to conditions including state government allocations and sufficient funds for the construction and operation of the zoo. It may be noted that the zoo project was pushed ahead earlier also, but due to a paucity of funds, it was shelved.

The CZA has in its formal approval directed the Tamil Nadu State forest department that no animals or resources from existing zoos should be used for the new Zoo coming up in Tiruchi, according to forest department officials. The Central body also stated that no animals from the wild are acquired for display.

However Chief Wild Life warden Shekar Kumar Neeraj told BPNS that establishing the Tiruchi zoo has a lot of challenges including the availability of fresh water. He said that the proposed site is in a water-stressed area. He said that the forest department is planning for digging a canal to draw water from Cauvery. The Chief Wildlife warden also said that mixed forest to improve green cover and added that the proposed area has only one tree species- Hardwicka binata.

The forest officials also said that after conditions for the establishment of the zoo are completed and it is ready for operation, application in Form -1 will be filled with Central Zoo Authority (CZA).