Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday reacted to the Congress’s query on the anticipated agreement between the Delhi zoo and the Ambani-run Vantara by clarifying that the proposed memorandum of understanding aims to foster collaboration in wildlife conservation, rescue, rehabilitation, animal health and welfare.

Yadav expressed concern over efforts to "create doubts" in the minds of the public.

“Some people have made it a habit to create doubts in the mind of the public at every instance,” Yadav posted on X in response to the Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s post.

Yadav’s reaction came three days after Ramesh’s comment. On June 4, Ramesh had raised concern over the “proposed MoU” to be signed between Delhi’s National Zoological Park and Reliance’s Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, popularly known as Vantara, asking whether it was the first step towards handing over the zoo to a private enterprise. According to Ramesh, the agreement might lead to the privatisation of the zoo.

Reacting to his statement, Yadav clarified that the proposed agreement was the revised version of the existing MoU signed between the Delhi zoo and Greens Zoological and Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in January 2021, which was focused on the exchange of animals, capacity building of animal keepers, technical exchanges on scientific management of animals and sharing knowledge on conservation breeding and education.

In his post on X, Yadav also appreciated Vantara by saying it had “developed state-of-the-art facilities and services in animal health and welfare, world-class zoo designing, rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals and habitat enrichment, etc”.

The Delhi zoo has sought to revise the existing MoU with Vantara for the management of captive wildlife and to broaden the collaboration in keeping with current management requirements.

Sources said the proposed agreement involved knowledge sharing and was not about a management takeover.

Key areas of cooperation include support for veterinary care and allied services, exchange of best practices in captive management of endangered species, and technical assistance in zoo planning, enclosure design, enrichment, visitor engagement and staff training.

It also involves knowledge-sharing initiatives, staff exchange, capacity building, conservation education and potential animal exchanges.

Ramesh had raised concerns about such an agreement “done in a hush-hush manner” and demanded transparency. According to the former minister, zoos, national parks, reserves, and sanctuaries should never be privatised.

Yadav claimed that the agreement was part of the zoological park’s collaboration with other zoos, universities and scientific institutions to enhance conservation efforts, scientific research, resource sharing and animal welfare.

The Delhi zoo, which currently houses 95 species of animals, was established in 1959.