Raising serious doubts on the procurement and upkeep of the eight Humboldt penguins at the Byculla Zoo after the death of one of them, Leader of Opposition in the BMC Pravin Velji Chheda has written to the Maharashtra Lokayukta demanding a detailed report on the procurement process and construction of enclosures. Mr. Chheda also demanded that the municipal commissioner set up an independent inquiry into the project, adding the matter will come up for hearing at 1 p.m. on Friday at the Lokayukta.
In his letter to the Lokayukta, Mr. Chheda said the civic chief needs to make officials who manipulated the tender accountable, which allowed the contractor to get away with shoddy work. He has also asked for an FIR to be registered against the contractor involved in bringing the penguins here from Seoul, South Korea.
His letter came days after the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) served a second notice to BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, demanding an an explanation for the death of Dory, a female Humboldt penguin, and sought a detailed post mortem report within seven days. D.N. Singh, the CZA member-secretary has sought a reply from Mr. Mehta on the issue. The CZA notice expresses doubt on whether the COEX Aquarium in South Korea, from where the penguins came, is registered with the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species in wild fauna and flora (CITES) as a captive breeding facility, and if BMC has obtained all import certifications.
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The notice has also questioned the suitability and appropriateness of housing and care for the penguins at Byculla Zoo, as per norms prescribed by CITES. It states that the death of a female penguin due to septicemia while in quarantine points to poor standards of care by the zoo authorities. It has also expressed concern for the seven remaining penguins due to standards set by the Associations of Zoos and Aquarium not being followed.
The CZA earlier had sent a notice to the zoo in September, asking authorities to upgrade the facility’s standards. Activist Sunish Subramanian Kunju, founder-secretary, PAWS said they were against bringing the penguins to Mumbai given the condition of animals already living there. He said enclosures at Byculla Zoo had deteriorated over the years.
The BMC said the seven remaining penguins (four female, three male) at the zoo are healthy and not showing any signs of abnormality. "All birds are observed to be feeding well and are active," Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director, Byculla Zoo.
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The writer is an intern at The Hindu