Cuttack: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) is planning to relocate deer from the Park at Madhusudan Nagar locality in Tulasipur. Under its decongestion plan, the civic body will shift the herbivores to Chandaka forest near Nandankanan zoo, an official informed Thursday.
According to the source, the civic body has already identified an area measuring about 100 acres at Chandaka forest on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar for the relocation. An estimate for approval of Rs 1.2 crore has been submitted by the Forest Department for the purpose.
“We had given a proposal to Forest department to identify land for the relocation of deer from the park. The department has identified an area of Chandaka forest,” CMC commissioner Ananya Das said.
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“Deer in the park are not wild or acquainted with natural forest. They have been kept in captivity inside the park; hence, the animals require soft release. Necessary steps will be taken to relocate the deer, after the funds are approved,” the CMC commissioner informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Deer Park was established in 1981. It measured an area of about 2.5 acre. Five deer were initially kept in the park and the total number has now gone up to 243.
Norms of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) stipulate that a maximum of 15 deer can be kept in a land of 2.5 acre. CMC’s move came close on the heels of an order earlier passed by the Orissa High Court. The CZA also recently warned the civic body asking it to provide proper space as well as conducive environment for the animals.
PNN
