North Bengal to get 3 modern vet hosps

The existing hospitals at the Bengal Safari

Park in Siliguri, the Khayerbari

Zoo in Alipurduar district, and the Patlakhawa Mini Zoo in Cooch Behar will be upgraded and equipped with modern medical facilities

ALIPURDUAR: Plans are underway to build a state-ofthe-art animal hospital at the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata on the lines of the vet hospital at the Padmajanaidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling.

An estimated amount of Rs 3.5 crore will be allocated for this project through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Additionally, three modern hospitals will come up in North Bengal for the treatment of wild animals.

The existing hospitals at the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri, the Khayerbari Zoo in Alipurduar district, and the Patlakhawa Mini Zoo in Cooch Behar will be upgraded and equipped with modern medical facilities.

According to the state Zoo authority, the Padmajanaidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling earned the distinction of being the country's best zoo last year.

The state-of-the-art animal hospital at Darjeeling Zoo plays a vital role in providing advanced medical equipment for wildlife treatment. A similar hospital is now being set up at Alipore Zoo.

The renovation work of the old building of the Alipore Zoo Veterinary hospital is currently underway.

After the renovation, modern medical equipment such as a portable X-ray machine, an automated operation table, and an anesthesia unit will be installed. A dedicated ward exclusively for bird treatment will also be established. The Forest Department

aims to establish the Alipore Zoo Hospital in Kolkata as the best animal hospital in the country by the end of this year.

Joytipria Mallick, the Forest minister talking to the Millennium Post stated: “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is committed to the preservation of forests, wildlife, and the environment from the very beginning. We have already modernised the Darjeeling Zoo Hospital at a cost of approximately Rs. 2 crore. It was a matter of great pride for us when Darjeeling Zoo was recognized as the best zoo in the country.

“This time, we intend to transform the Alipore Zoo Hospital with modern treatment methods catering to large mammals as well as reptiles. Our department will also undertake the modernisation of three veterinary hospitals in North Bengal,” he added.