MULTAN: The consultant selection committee of the Punjab Wildlife Department has given the go-ahead to prepare a PC-1 and master plan for establishing an international standard zoo in Multan.

The committee had prepared recommendations in a meeting chaired by the Wildlife director-general in Lahore on Dec 21 while the provincial secretary would give approval for work order to a firm, said Multan’s Wildlife Assistant Director Mian Abbas here on Friday.

He said a 40-acre land had been transferred to the Wildlife Department at Mauza Balail on Shujabad Road, about 8kms from Naag Shah Chowk.

He said the PC-1 of the project was prepared first in 2007-8 and then in 2010, but the Planning and Development Department had suggested that some consultant having zoo development expertise be hired to prepare the PC-1 and the master plan.

He said that Rs7.7 million allocated in the 2015-16 budget was transferred to the Wildlife Department after the approval of PC-2 for hiring a consultant.

Three firms had applied for the contract and one of them was recommended to carry out the project, Mr Abbas said.

He said the department would enlist basic requirements regarding animals, their cages, habitat, and infrastructure needs once the consultant visited the site following the issuance of work order.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2016