Lockdown fallout in Punjab: Chhatbir zoo bleeding Rs 1.8 lakh daily

MOHALI: The pandemic lockdown has been causing Rs 1.8 lakh losses per day to Chhabir zoo that was heading towards becoming self-reliant before the coronavirus struck.
Zoo field director M Sudhagar said Chhatbir had recorded 9 lakh to 10 lakh visitors last year, with 2,500 to 3,000 daily. The entry ticket on an average comes out to be Rs 60 per visitor, which implies to a collection of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.8 lakh daily, he said.
The zoo has been pushed behind by two years, according to Kuldeep Kumar, chief wildlife conservator, forests, Punjab. “It seems we will now have to start afresh. The lockdown has already eaten up a major chunk of savings. We have many expenses like feeding the animals and paying wages to caretakers. The animals consume meat, fodder, grains, fruits and vegetable of Rs 30 lakh every month. Although the Punjab government is giving us a grant, the collection from visitors is zero,” he said, adding the zoo had shown a revenue collection of Rs 6.5 crore in 2019-20.
The tickets are priced at Rs 80 for adults and Rs 40 for children. Lion and deer safari tickets cost Rs 75 per visitor. The other revenue generation sources are battery-operated carts, contract for three canteens and other contractors.
“The zoo annual expenses are Rs 18 crore to Rs 19 crore, out of which we contributed Rs 6.5 crore to Rs 7 crore in the last fiscal. The balance was met by the grants given by the Punjab government. We have maximum visitors during the holiday season which due to lockdown has gone waste. The zoo now may not open till June or July-end,” Sudhagar said.
Another worry is that the Punjab government had recently directed all zoos of the state to deposit remaining funds after deducting expenses from the zoo society funds. But this year due to the lockdown, the zoo authority has requested the government to relax the orders and allow Chhatbir to retain the total collection. Sudhagar said, “We have requested the state government to allow retaining the balance in the zoo society funds. There has been no income in the last 55 days.” The cabinet last year issued directions to Chhatbir to deposit funds collected in the society after deducting the expenses and use the rest of the funds after taking permission from the government.