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Vizag Zoo Park yet to receive World Bank aid
The World Bank has agreed to sanction $ 6 million (Rs 36 crore) towards the reconstruction of the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, which suffered damage to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore during 2014 Hudhud cyclone.
Visakhapatnam: The World Bank has agreed to sanction $ 6 million (Rs 36 crore) towards the reconstruction of the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, which suffered damage to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore during 2014 Hudhud cyclone.
This is for the first time the World Bank is funding a zoo in South Asia, according to the World Bank officials. But under the present system it will take months or may be years for the funds to get transferred to the zoo, according to sources from the Forest Department.
Unlike previous years, the World Bank will transfer its funds to the State government, from there to the office of the Project Director of AP Disaster Recovery Project and subsequently to Pay and Accounts Office for disbursement.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The WB sanctioned $ 6 million to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park for zoo reconstruction following the extensive damage caused by Hudhud cyclone
- However, even two years after the natural calamity, the forest dept is yet to receive the funds to take up zoo renovation works
- The funds should first reach the State govt, from there to the office of the Project Director of AP Disaster Recovery Project and finally to the Pay ad Accounts office
“We don’t know how long it will take for the process to get started and the funds to the Zoo,’’ said a senior officer from the Forest Department.
He said in the past, the World Bank directly transferred the funds to Forest Department under the AP Forestry Project between 1993 and 1998. An amount of Rs 650 crore was sanctioned for the Joint Management of Forests. The period was further extended up to the year 2000.
“Things went very fast and flowed into all the districts of united Andhra Pradesh,’’ the officer said. He further said though the WB sanctioned funds under APDRP no work has started even though the disaster took place two years ago.
The new funds would be spent on zoo renovation while another Rs 13 crore for eco-tourism project at Kambalakonda and Rs 75 crore for development of palm forest and field renovations. A master plan is being drawn by zoo authorities for the purpose and the zoo authorities are finalising a consultant.
Similarly, another $ 20 million fund would also go towards restoration of environmental services and facilities and livelihood support in the four coastal districts of the State - Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari’, one of the seven components of the APDRP project.
