When a giant like Bharath Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchi, comes to the rescue of animals, the latter’s keepers can sleep well.
The public sector undertaking (PSU) has yet again donated to the Vandalur Zoo, this being the third consecutive year it has done so. It has adopted over a dozen animals so far. Last week, the company donated Rs. 5.12 lakh to continue its support to the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, grizzled giant squirrel, elephant and black buck. Zoo authorities said the company also adopted the sea eagle and wild boar for the first time. Two years ago, while making its first donation, the company gave Rs. 97,690.
This amount was increased to Rs. 1.99 lakh last year. A.V. Krishnan, executive director of BHEL, presented the cheque for Rs 5.12 lakh to zoo director K.S.S.V.P. Reddy.
Wildlife authorities said State Bank of India (SBI) and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) were the two other major organisations that had adopted animals in the zoo. Two years ago, both the SBI and the TTDC donated sizeable sums for a year. But they did not continue their donations for adoption.
The only PSU now adopting animals is BHEL, they said.
The company had also assured them that they would increase the funding next year, zoo authorities added.
The animal adoption programme began nearly seven years ago, and has been designed to suit the requirements of corporates as well as individuals, zoo authorities said.
A couple of months ago, a group of school students donated their savings, and adopted animals for a day.
