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Changing times at Delhi Zoo

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

New Delhi: With the Group C and D support staff at Delhi Zoo having embarked on a "non-cooperation movement" since the beginning of this month, the authorities have been forced to change the zoo timings. It will now open at 11 a.m. instead of the routine 9 a.m. during the summer.

The zoo staff for over a month now has been threatening to go on strike in the wake of a proposal by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to convert it into an autonomous body or registered society on the recommendation of the Central Zoo Authority.

Anxious about the impact of the strike on the maintenance and day-to-day running of the zoo, its Director D.N.Singh had earlier asked for time to "sort out the matter with the Ministry".

"But with no clear instruction from the Ministry, there was no other option but to proceed on strike. To begin with we are striking work from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. In case the Ministry opts to keep the zoo staff in the dark about the proposed change and bring it about without our consent we will have to intensify the strike,'' said Zoo Employees' Union member Nand Singh Rana.

The employees also claimed that they had previously written to the Ministry asking for a clarification on the matter, but were yet to get any response.

"The Director had assured us that he would look into the matter and would let us know what was planned for the zoo. He also promised that he would make sure that our point of view would be taken into account before bringing about any change,'' added Mr. Rana.

The Zoo Director is at present out of the Capital and is expected to return only next week.

The Central Zoo Authority has maintained that the move to convert it into a Centre for Zoo Sciences was aimed at strengthening the scientific base in the country and to make it a place for conservation and education for the masses.

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