Animals and Heritage: See Hampi’s ancient wonders, see the big cats too!

Ballari: Tourists visiting the UNESCO world heritage site-Hampi, will soon get to see various species of fauna at a zoo coming up on the periphery of the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar empire.

The construction work is going on in full swing at the zoological park named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and coming up at Kamlapur near Hampi Kannada University in the district which is touted to be the biggest zoo in the State. Divisional Forest Officer Nagaraja Naik, who is involved in the project told Deccan Chronicle that the park is expected to emerge as an added attraction for tourists offering tiger, bear and deer safari for tourists and will be open to the public for viewing in another six months.

The Zoo Authority of Karnataka is undertaking the project on 500 acres at a cost of Rs 34 crore. Mr Naik said that Rs 20 crore had already been sanctioned for the park and works worth Rs 9 crore had been initiated. Tenders have been invited for Rs 11 crore worth works. The roads are being constructed in the precincts of the zoo for tiger, bear and deer safaris. Three large ponds are being built to help the animals housed in the zoo walk around freely. Check dams are being constructed at five different places in the zoo to cater to drinking water needs of the animals and also to enhance the water table in the region. A barbed-wire fence is being erected at a height of 12 feet in a 7 km stretch around the zoo.

The proposed zoo was planned by the then BJP government in 2010 led by Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa which decided to shift Ballari zoo to Bilikallu reserve forest in 2010. Environmentalists have expressed their concern over the proposed zoo coming up at Bilikallu reserve forest which houses several rare species of animals and reptiles. A nature lover of the region has filed a public interest litigation in the High Court contending that the Supreme Court’s approval is a must for establishing the zoo.

Mr Naik stated that the Central Zoo Authority had given its approval for the said project and added that the entire flora and fauna in Billikallu forest would not get destroyed. “Modern zoos are very sensitive on ecological matters, we will ensure that very little forest area is cleared”, he added.

He said the worries about captive animals spreading diseases among those in the wild are unfounded as all inmates will have a proper medical certificate after extensive check-ups before they are brought to the zoo.