Forest dept signs pacts with UIT, NTPC for bio park

KOTA: The state forest department has entered into separate agreements with the Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) of Kota and the Anta-based National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up the longawaited biological park in the district.

“Forest department has signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the UIT for the establishment of biological park in 121-hectare area in Abhera region of Kota, for which the department will provide a total of ₹40 crores to the trust, of which ₹10 crores will be allocated in first phase,” said Sunil Chhidri, deputy conservator of forest, wildlife, Kota. Work for preparing detailed project report (DPR) for the biological park has started, he added.

The Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI) has already given its nod for the project in February this year.

Chhidri said earlier the forest department was in talks with the Rajasthan State Road Development Corporation (RSRDC) for setting up the biological park, as the RSRDC had established another biological park in Rajasthan, but later it was decided that the Kota UIT would be the best executive agency for the job.

Giving details of the biological park project, Chhidri said the park will have 44 enclosures for different wildlife species, a veterinary hospital, an administrative block, a watch tower, a herbal garden, fencing and parking facility. The forest department has sent a proposal to the Kota district administration for carrying out the foundation-laying ceremony for the park during chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s two-day visit to Kota from August 17, he said.

The biological park is expected to be completed in three years, he added.

About delay in the project, Chhidri said that it was stuck over a trench where Kota Municipal Corporation dumped the city garbage. The CZAI was not giving its permission to the biological park as the trench was in the park’s vicinity. The national zoo authority gave its approval for the project in February this year on the condition that a 400metre green belt will be developed between the KMC trench and the proposed biological park.

The forest department also signed another MoU with the NTPC unit in Baran district. According to the agreement, the corporation will give ₹46 lakh to the forest department for developing the green belt around the park.

“Around 10,000 plants will be planted by the funds provided by NTPC, Anta, for developing 400metre-wide green belt around the biological park,” he said. The corporation will look after the plants for 5 years.

The recent development has generated some hope among the environmentalists. Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, founder of the Mukundra Wildlife and Environment Society, Kota, said that the biological park is a three-decade old dream for Kota that could not be accomplish due to lack of political will and the Kota trench issue. “The state government should expedite the process of setting up the biological park in Kota,” he said.