A blanket ban on jogging in Patna zoo is unlikely but joggers would have to face several restrictions in light of the recent recommendation of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to stop jogs inside the zoo.
The environment and forests department is contemplating prohibiting jogging at the zoo before sunrise and after sunset (early morning and late evening walks). As of now zoo gates are open for joggers from 5.30am and upto 7pm in the evening, which apparently adversely affects the nocturnal activities of animals and their breeding pattern.
Besides, there would be limitations on the number of joggers by means of issuing tickets or passes, or allowing people only of certain age for jogging inside the zoo. Also, there would be complete restriction on entry of joggers in the zoological area by putting fences or barricade or constructing boundary walls. This mean that the strolls would be completely confined to 34 acres of the total land area of 153 acres of Patna zoo. Even now ropes are put up to prevent joggers from entering the zoological area but many-a-times joggers try to trespass the same.
"We are trying to come up with a mechanism to regulate jogs in Patna zoo in pursuance of Wildlife Act, 1972, and respective norms of CZA. Animals would be given the topmost preference at the zoo but we are also looking into accommodating regulated movement of local visitors as well," Vivek Kumar Singh, principal secretary in the forests department said on Sunday.
Earlier, D.N. Singh, member secretary in CZA following his visit at Patna zoo on April 18 and 19, gave an ultimatum to the state government to stop jogging inside the zoo with immediate effect otherwise its recognition would be withdrawn. The withdrawal of recognition to the zoo would result in shutting down the zoo for visitors.
Singh had claimed that the matter is lingering since 2006 and presence of large number of joggers in the early morning and evening hours at the zoo is leading to adverse impact on the daily routine, breeding and general health of the captive animals.
Following the recent rap from the CZA, Patna zoo director S. Chandrashekhar had announced prohibition on evening walks from April 23. However, the order was revoked later upon intervention from state chief wildlife warden S.S. Choudhary. The zoo director had issued the order for restricting evening walks claiming that there was no written directive in this regard from the state government but the chief wildlife warden had asked him to revoke the order and wait for a final decision on the issue from the state government.
"The principal chief conservator of forest has sent a formal proposal to the department for regulating jogs. We agree that movement of joggers in the early morning and late evening hours disturbs animals, which in turn affect their breeding pattern as well. Thus, jogs at the zoo won't be free all anymore and there would be restrictions on it," said a senior official in the forests department.
Though the government is contemplating to regulate jogs at the zoo, it might face protests in executing it. In April, 2011, the then deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi announced that the government was planning to impose entry pass system to reduce the number of walkers and even complete ban in future.
