Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forests, K. Pawan Kalyan, told officials of the Zoo Park Authority of Andhra Pradesh (ZPAAP) at its 14th governing body meeting on Wednesday to examine the possibility of setting up zoos in the State in addition to the existing ones in Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, and to strive to attract more visitors to zoos by sprucing them up to global standards and bringing in new exotic animals.
He instructed officials to lay due emphasis on garnering funds through public-private partnerships and involving the corporate sector in the development of the zoos.
Further, Mr. Kalyan suggested to the officials to encourage adoption of animals, especially by industrialists and other prominent individuals, and to mobilise donations for undertaking various works. The objective of developing the zoos should be to promote eco-friendly tourism, he added.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force Chiranjiv Choudhary, Commissioner of Tourism K. Kanna Babu and other senior officials took part in the deliberations.
