When the news of the shifting of Deer from the Deer Park came to the residents of Safdarjung Enclave and Green Park, it was nothing less than a shock. Generations had been visiting the deer park for morning walks, sports and recreation. Across generations, meeting the Deer everyday during a long walk was a given. How could the Deer Park be without Deer and it was a home to the Deer too. For them it is a habitat in the middle of the city which they have adapted to with every successive progeny. Some points from the petition filed by a NGO based in Safdarjung Enclave, CAMPAIGN FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED, are very pertinent and are as follows:
• The proposal was accepted in the 107th meeting of the Technical Committee of Central Zoo Authority, which cancelled the recognition of the said park along with shifting of the 600 Chitals to the State of Rajasthan and Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in the ratio of 70:30. The same was approved by the Chairperson of the Central Zoo Authority.
• Such arbitrary decision was taken because the Delhi Development Authority has been negligent in performing its duties efficiently since its first recognition as a ‘mini-zoo’ granted by the Order dated 19.05.2009 and has not complied with the provisions and observations made by the Central Zoo Authority. The following conditions have not been fulfilled by the Delhi Development Authority over all these years:
• Approval of the Master plan as per Central Zoo Authority guidelines and mentioning the Annual Collection Plan of these animals in such Master Plan.
• The Delhi Development Authority has failed to maintain a keeper’s diary, daily report and animal history cards.
• The Veterinary Unit does not have proper medicines and equipment including snake anti-venom and other life-saving drugs within the premises of the park.
• The Delhi Development Authority has failed to take critical population control measures to limit the growing population of these animals, when the enclosure was housed to keep only 60 Deer and at present their population has reached to approximately 600, thereby resulting in such arbitrary Order.
• The transfer of these voiceless animals is being done without following the guidelines and protocols of the Central Zoo Authority and the IUCN Guidelines. These animals can be transferred in a more humane manner and without causing unnecessary emotional and physical stress to the animals. It is pertinent to note that due to this arbitrary Order, these captive bred animals will be unable to fend for themselves in the wild, thereby, would result in their death.
• The Central Zoo Authority vide Order dated 08.06.2023 lacks specific conditions, procedures and provisions governing the release of these animals into the wild and its consequences and repercussions upon such animals after their release. Neither it specifies the methodology for division of these animals while transferring them to their respective sanctuaries.
• The Central Zoo Authority vide Order dated 08.06.2023 is ambiguous on the question, whether the closure of the Zoo entails only the closure of the enclosure combined with the translocation of the Chitals, or the closure of the entire Deer Park premises.
Due to our joint effort, the shifting of Deer were stayed by the Delhi High Court till further orders. The case was supposed to be heard on 15th Jan 2024 which has now been postponed to 21 st March 2024.
