ISLAMABAD: There is not enough food for animals at ‘Marghzar’ Islamabad Zoo and Zoo management is still waiting for a budget allocated for the Zoo.
The Zoo is facing acute shortage of food supplies as the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) refuses to release the budget money to the zoo contractor for provision of food supply for animal lodged there, SAMAA news reported.
TV channel quoted Zoo contractor saying that there is not enough food to be supplied and the MCI was supposed to pay Rs10.35 million.
“I have been supplying food to the zoo for the past three months, but haven’t received a penny yet”, he added.
The contractor was of the view that the shortage can lead to animals dying, just like last year. “They are blackmailing us to give supplies and saying if we don’t, they will bring in a new contractor,” he added.
Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz claimed that for the payments to be released, legal formalities have to be met. “When the contract was given, it was mentioned that the contractor will have to give a bank guarantee, which was not given in this case,” he said. “Government rules need to be followed.”
The Islamabad Zoo has been in the news this year because of the poor condition of the animals there. People had raised awareness regarding the condition of the zoo’s elephant, Himalayan brown bear and marsh crocodile.
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