KARACHI, July 6: The community and development department of the city government has failed to purchase new animals for the Karachi zoo, Safari Park and the Landhi-Korangi zoo despite an allocation of Rs70 million funds for the purpose in the last fiscal year.

City government sources told Online that the management of Karachi Zoo had called tenders for buying two female zebras, two pairs of wallaby, two pairs of yellow baboons, one pair of orex and two pairs of ostriches about six months ago . The Landhi Korangi Zoo management had also called a tender for the purchase of a pair of lions.

A purchase committee was formed in May last on the intervention of city nazim. The committee had submitted its report to the EDO for the community and development department. However, the report remained in the EDO’s office till June 30.

According to sources, the EDO had approved only one file for the purchase of animals in two months. But it proved useless as no tender could be awarded for the purchase because the allocated funds had lapsed following the closing of financial year 2005-06.

Sources said that Rs3 million had been allocated for buying animals for Safari Park in last fiscal, but not even a single animal could be purchased as the management had not called any tender in this regard.—Online