The state government is learnt to have put on hold Ranchi zoo's grand plans of hosting zebras and giraffes six years after efforts were initiated to host the striped and spotted animals by spending as much as Rs 1 crore on enclosures and other paraphernalia.

State forest department secretary Sukhdev Singh admitted that the project had been put on hold pending technical and feasible studies, but did not elaborate.

"There were certain objections raised by certain experts. So, we have put it on hold till a conclusive feasibility study is done. I won't say the project has been scrapped, but it has been put on hold for now," he told The Telegraph .

Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park mentioned the initiative of getting two pairs of zebras and a pair of giraffes in its animal collection plan, a long-term vision statement with a 10-year perspective, in 2009-10 following the state government's nod. The idea was also approved by the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA).

Now, officials involved with the zoo are questioning the rationale behind the state government's move to sanction Rs 1 crore for making special enclosures for the animals.

"We could have used that money for other development work. It was only after the CZA nod following state government's go-ahead that funds were released and enclosures built. But now, senior officials in the state forest department have suddenly realised that it may not be feasible," said a zoo official, adding that Tata Steel Zoological Park in Jamshedpur brought four zebras in December last year and was doing fine with them.

In January, the Ranchi zoo in Ormanjhi block had signed an MoU with a firm in Israel for two pairs of zebras. "The firm has already handed over a consent letter along with details of the animals, their lineage among other things. Somewhere between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 35 lakh will be needed, but the state government isn't keen on the idea anymore," said the zoo official.

For a pair of giraffes, Birsa zoo was also in talks with an agency in South Africa.

"It is clear the government isn't keen on procuring these animals now. While on the one hand, the chief secretary talks of expanding our zoo at review meetings, on the other hand, steps needed to be taken to do so are stonewalled," the official said.