'Govt. was warned of Nandan Kanan deaths'

By Our Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR, AUG. 23. Was the State Government forewarned about the likely deaths of animals that could take place in the Nandan Kanan Zoo in the months of June and July this year in which 13 Royal Bengal Tigers died ?

According to a former Minister and expelled BJD leader, Mr. Bijoy Mahapatra, the State Government was warned about the situation as early as on March 14 of this year by the Zoo authorities but the State Government failed to take any action on the issue which resulted in the death of the tigers and other animals in the Zoo .

Mr. Mahapatra told newspersons here today that the zoo authorities had intimated to the State Government that there could be large-scale mortality among the animals because of non- supply of feed. According to Mr. Mahapatra in a letter purported to have written by the Zoo authorities to the Government, the State was warned that ``a state of emergency was prevailing in the zoo for which it was seeking release of more funds''.Mr. Mahapatra said the State Government failed to finalise the tender on supply of feed to animals till June. Mr.Mahapatra said the Government of India should initiate a fresh probe into the deaths of the tigers as the State Government had not provided these information to the Centre.

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