JAMMU: Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today chaired a meeting of officers of Forest Department to review the progress of Jammu Zoo project. Chairman JK Pollution Control Board Ravi Kesar, Chief Wildlife Warden Suresh Chug, Project Chief IWDP P K Singh, Director Social Forestry Anil Kumar Tickoo, Director Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing O P Sharma, Chief Conservator of Forests, Roshan Jaggi, Managing Director State Forest Corporation S K Gupta, Director Forest Protection Force Rajiv Tiwari, Director SFRI B M Sharma besides other senior officers of Forest Department and locals were present on the occasion.
The Minister directed the concerned agencies to ensure that the ambitious project is executed in most efficient manner and timelines fixed for its completion are strictly adhered to. He took a detailed review of the plan outlay and ground work being executed by the concerned in this regard. Choudhary Lal Singh issued directions to the Wildlife authorities to expedite the work particularly chainlink fencing, construction of entry gate, parking lots besides the work of circular road and moats as per specification of Central Zoo Authority. The Minister also directed for plantation along the circular road.
The prestigious Jambu Zoo Project (Shivalik Biological Park) at Khanpur, Nagrota is envisioned to be completed in two years. Spread over an area of 5000 kanals, the zoo will come up at an estimated cost of Rs. 150 crore.