State Zoo: Fall in number of visitors, revenue mop-up

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 8: The population in Guwahati city has been rising at an alarming rate. On the contrary, the number of visitors to the State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden located in the city is falling drastically, so is revenue collection from visitors. What has gone wrong?

According to sources in the State Zoo, the total number of people visiting the Zoo in fiscal 2014-15 was 7.85 lakh that substantially fell to 5.83119 lakh in fiscal 2015-16. The collection of revenue from the State zoo in fiscal 2014-15 was Rs 1.98 crore that fell drastically to Rs 1.72 crore in fiscal 2015-16. The increase in population in the city should have led to increase in the number of visitors thronging the State zoo as well. How come this is not happening?

The authorities in the State Zoo have their own story to tell. DFO SK Seal Sarma, who is in-charge of the Zoo, said: “During the period the infrastructure in the Zoo had been very poor. The children’s park inside the Zoo had been out of service for which help from Guwahati Refinery, IOC, ONGC had to be taken. While Guwahati Refinery extended help in the form of four costly instruments for the children’s park, IOC provided an ambulance and ONGC is still helping us by doing some activities that are still underway. Efforts are on the make the zoo alluring. Efforts are on to bring in a couple of hye from the Zoo at Alipur in West Bengal in exchange of a couple Lajuki Bandor from here. Like a couple leopard cat will be given to Hyderabad Zoo to get a couple of lion from there. Talks are on to bring in a pair of bear from Kanpur Zoo. Efforts are also on to bring in a couple of zeraf to the zoo.”