While presiding over a function held to mark the start of the wild life week at Malsi Deer Park in Dehradun on Saturday, Uttarakhand Forest and Wild life Minister Dinesh Aggarwal said that the Malsi Deer Park would be known as Zoo Park. He also laid foundation of the zoo’s logo and a zoo aviary in the Deer Park. He also said that the State Government is going to set up a Butterfly (Titli) Park in lachchhiwala and besides, tiger and leopard safari parks would be developed in Haldwani and Haridwar. Mussoorie MlA Ganesh Joshi was also present on the occasion.
A signature campaign for protection of environment and wildlife was also held. A pledge to protect wildlife as national heritage was taken on the occasion. A painting competition involving students was held at the end of which the Minister awarded the students who secured first, second and third position.
“Uttarakhand is rich in bio-diversity and the State thus has a responsibility to protect it. We would have to work to balance things to ensure that the wildlife animals would not face any problem to get their food and at the same time, to ensure that the local residents’ interest is not affected in any way,” the Minister said.
He said that the condition of wildlife conservation is good in Uttarakhand as numbers of tigers, leopards and other wildlife animals have been steadily increasing.
MlA Joshi said that he would pursue seeking finance assistances from the Centre for the beautification of the Malsi Deer Park. “The park has a huge potential of tourism development as it is located in between Dehradun and Mussoorie.
locals would get jobs and the State would get a large amount of revenue if it is rightly developed,” the MlA said.
Among others present on the occasion were chief forest conservator Bhuwan Chandra, principal wildlife conservator Gambhir Singh Negi, principal forest conservator DVS Khati, additional chief forest conservator Dhanjay Mohan and divisional forest officer, Dehradun PK Patro.