The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi to get India’s first natural history museum

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Sunday, Jul 12, 2009
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Delhi to get India’s first natural history museum

Sujay Mehdudia

A 2020 Vision document prepared for revamping zoological parks countrywide: Jairam Ramesh

Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

A warm welcome: Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh being welcomed at Delhi Zoo on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday declared that Central Zoo Authority had prepared a 2020 Vision document for revamping and modernisation of 196 zoological parks in various parts of the country during the next 10 years.

Mr. Jairam, who undertook a visit to the Delhi Zoological Park and reviewed the functioning of the Central Zoo Authority, said Delhi would have India’s first “Natural History Museum” alongside the present zoo. He said the museum would come up on a seven-acre land presently being used as car parking by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). He also announced that India would hold the World Zoo Congress in 2014 for which the venue would be decided later.

The Union Minister said that the area had a Science Museum and with the addition of the Natural History Museum it would create a large complex for the children alongside the Delhi Zoo for recreational activities.

More to be done

Mr. Jairam said that a lot needs to be done to manage the zoos across the country better and for this modern management methods and latest technology should be used to make it a lifetime experience for those visiting such places.

Stating that he was for adopting a new but more positive policy to involve animals in diplomacy, Mr. Jairam said his Ministry was also considering exchange of animals with other countries. Already Germany along with two other countries had asked for Indian elephants. “We can use this as effective instrument of economic diplomacy, something that was done years ago by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who used to gift animals including elephants to friendly countries as part of diplomacy,” he added.

Stating that the general budget had provided a “green package” of Rs. 1150 crore to the Environment and Forest Ministry, Mr. Jairam said apart from substantially enhancing the budget for Project Tiger, the Zoological Survey of India had been allocated Rs. 15 crore indicating the seriousness of the Government in approaching the issues concerning environment, birds and animals.

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