Bir Talab Zoo cries for vet doc, proper equipment

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 19

With no doctor, medical equipment and medicines at the Bir Talab Zoo, the animals there appear to be at God’s mercy.

During his recent visit to the zoo, Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot had assured that they would appoint a veterinary doctor and provide the needful equipment to facilitate animal care, but till date no steps have been taken in this regard.

In the recent past, a female leopard died due to lack of medical facility at the zoo. Similarly, other animals, including black buck, hog deer and peacock also died at the zoo over the last one year or so.

A zoo employee, pleading anonymity, said, “Despite having a veterinary hospital complex along with inadequate equipment on the premises, we are helpless due to lack of a veterinary doctor.”

He further stated that a number of animals need special care during mating season or the ongoing summers, especially deer and leopards, as they often fall sick due to one or another reason. Besides, the situation goes out of control by the time they get to know about their problems and convey it to polyclinic veterinary doctor at Teona village.

When contacted, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amritpal Singh Brar confirmed that animals at the zoo are facing problems due to the absence of veterinary doctor.

He further stated that they have done the required documentation work for appointment of a veterinary doctor there, but in vain. He said he would soon be meeting senior officials at Chandigarh and will try to convince them to provide a veterinary doctor at Bir Talab Zoo.