KARACHI: A meeting of the zoo advisory committee on Friday approved a Rs15 million project and decided to seek funds from the provincial government to upgrade the zoo.

Chaired by Karachi Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah, the meeting also decided to raise the boundary walls of the zoo from 10 feet to 18 feet in order to protect animals from increasing air and noise pollution and ban the use of vehicle horns in the area surrounding the facility.

Sources said that Prof Mohammad Zaheer Khan, a senior teacher at the Karachi University’s zoology department, gave a detailed presentation to members on how to provide natural environment to animals and improve facilities for zoo visitors.

The suggestions included increasing plantation, revamping cages according to the needs of different species, improving zoo pathways and beautifying its boundary walls with drawings of animals and their habitat.

Beautification of the zoo walls would create an interest in visitors, especially children, in animals, it was said.

The recommendations were part of a one-year plan prepared by a sub-committee tasked in an earlier meeting to suggest short- and long-term measures for the zoo upgrade.

The long-term measures included construction of a natural history museum of international standard. The proposal was appreciated by the commissioner and it was decided that the museum development would be taken up at a later stage.

The issue of a water hydrant outside the main gate of the zoo was also discussed in the meeting. The hydrant, it was pointed out, had not only destroyed the road, caused frequent traffic jams in front of the facility, but also damaged the otherwise peaceful environment of the zoo.

The project for zoo upgrade will be sent to the Sindh government for further process and approval and implemented under the supervision of a five-member steering committee comprising Prof Zaheer Khan, wildlife department officer Adnan Hamid Khan and consultant retired Captain Fahim Baig.

It will be headed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s senior director sports, culture and recreation Raza Abbas, who will act as its project director. Zoo Director Fahim Khan, additional commissioner Robina Asif and officials of the Safari Park also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2016