Realising that ‘handing over the control’ of unruly Delhi Zoo, also known as National Zoological Park to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) will not be an easy affair, the Union Environment Ministry is now mulling various options — from transferring it to the Delhi Government to bringing it under the ambit of a society — for its better management.
The Delhi Zoo is the only zoo in the country under the Ministry however following allegation of rampant mismanagement and irregularities in animal record, it had decided to handover it to the statutory body, CZA.
Sources in the Ministry admitted that while in a bid to get ‘rid’ of the Delhi Zoo following various reports of financial mismanagement and administrative irregularities, the Ministry may have hastily announced its plans to handover the management to the CZA, but now it has dawned upon it that such a step is full of legal complications.
“For instance, operation of the zoo (Delhi Zoo) by the CZA will amount to conflict of interest,” as being regulatory body, direct control in respect of Delhi zoo would interfere with efficient and unbiased performance of regulatory role of CZA in respect of matter concerning to Delhi Zoo,” said the sources.
They cited certain provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, which does not allow the CZA to operate a zoo. As per the sub-section (A) of Sec 38 C the CZA has to lay down standards and norms in operation of zoos. “And since CZA has to regulate operation and management of zoos and has been assigned a regulatory function, the CZA cannot operate a zoo,” they pointed out.
Not only this, said the sources, the CZA officials will have to delegate powers by the government to exercise powers for establishment matters of the Delhi Zoo.
Formation of a society is another option. But it means lots of homework to be done before that can happen. They explained,” the formation of the society for management of the Delhi Zoo and its registration shall involve lots of works like preparation of bye-laws of the society, legal vetting, concurrence of the Ministry of Finance followed by consultation and preparation of the note for approval of the Government.
“All of these works are job of the Wildlife Division and not of the CZA.” The last option will be to ask the Delhi Government to operate Delhi Zoo, which the sources said would be in conformity with the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, given the strained relations between the BJP-led Centre and the Kejriwal Government in Delhi, the transfer to the later will, in most likelihood, might not happen smoothly.
Delhi Zoo from time to time had been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In January 8, 2019, in an explosive affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court, a panel led by then CZA member secretary DN Singh (who is retired now), pointed out several irregularities such as fudging of animal death data, not carrying post-mortem in case of unnatural animal death, concealing of animal deaths, and mysterious nature of deaths among others. The panel had sought action against the erring officials.