Orissa: Record no of visitors in Nandankanan

Bhubaneswar, Apr 01: Overwhelmed by a record number of visitors this year, the Nandankanan Zoo is contemplating to introduce several measures to augment visitors' amenities.

Zoo Director Ajit Kumar Pattnaik said this year 17,32,702 had visited Nandankanan as against last year's 15,08,887, setting an all time record in the history of the zoo.

The collection of revenue also touched a record high of Rs.2.02 crore,Mr.Pattnaik said, adding that keeping this in mind priority would be given during this financial year to augment visitors' amenities.

He said an online chlorination plant would be installed to provide safe drinking water to captive birds and animals while several safe drinking water kiosks would be installed to provide visitors cool filtered chlorinated water at strategic locations.

Mr.Pattnaik said one six acre meadow was being developed at a centrally located place for better circulation of the visitors.

Adequate number of sit-outs, drinking water kiosks, trash cans and toilets would be developed for the visitors. Orissa Tourism was also supporting construction of three toilet complexes at strategic locations for people's convenience.

It has also been proposed to install more than 150 benches during this financial year.This apart a visitors' path and stand off barriers would be constructed at all the enclosures to make it safe both for the animals and the visitors.

To make the park more attractive for visitors,Mr.Pattnaik said an ultra modern Aquarium, an Elephant enclosure, Aviary for Vulture and Brahminy Kites were dedicated to the public last year.

This year an ambitious animal exchange programme would be pursued while a new enclosure for Giraffe would be completed soon in which a Giraffe, to be procured from Alipore Zoo, Kolkata, by May-end, would be released.

He said this would be the first time in the history of Zoo that a Giraffe would find place in the list of animal collection at Nandankanan.

UNI