Visit to Darjeeling's Padamajaa Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

KOLKATA: If a trip to Alipore Zoo creates sympathy for the unfed animals, a visit to Darjeeling's Padamajaa Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park makes one wonder how the treatment of animals could be so strikingly different when both are maintained by the same authority.
While agitating staff had left animals starving for nearly 60 hours at Alipore zoo, the one in Darjeeling is impeccably maintained, where workers' agitation is something unheard of, even when the Gorkhaland agitation was at its peak. Delayed feeding is something 'unthinkable' in the zoo.
"We make sure our animals are fed at fixed time slots. In case of our zoo, it is 5 am. This is the timing that suits the high-altitude carnivores. Here, too, we make animals fast on Thursday," said Alankar Jha, director of Padmaja Naidu Himalayan zoo. "The Darjeeling zoo is in really good shape and you will feel good if you visit it," said a member of state zoo authority, who preferred to remain anonymous since he didn't want to get dragged into the 'ongoing controversy'.
When animals at Alipore zoo are going through harrowing times, the inaction of the state zoo authority (SZA), supposedly guardians of these hapless animals, is most startling. The agitation and resultant 'delay in servicing' has been happening since May 27. But the additional chief secretary (forest) and SZA vice-chairman K S Rajendra Kumar preferred not to speak on the matter. So did SZA member and principal chief conservator of forest Atanu Raha.
Animal activist Purnima L. Toolsidass said, "I was sure that some steps would be taken to alleviate the suffering of the animals. It is an outrage that none of the people legally responsible did anything to lessen suffering of the helpless beings who have the misfortune to be under the 'care' of people who are not bothered about to their hunger and thirst."
Central zoo authority member secretary BS Bonal said, "Alipore zoo authority should have made an alternative arrangement since its staff were agitating. "It is certainly unfortunate that animals have gone without food for so long. I have not received any report from the zoo in this regard. In case of exigencies, we often guide zoos on the way out," he said.
Senior vet and former dean of West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences Professor Rahul Sinha said, "It is not only inhuman but such a long fast causes irreparable damage to animals. The secretion of gastric juice will inevitably form ulcer and permanent digestive disorder. It actually accelerates the aging of these hapless animals. It shows man is fiercest in the animal kingdom. Would the same have happened at Alipore central jail if inmates went without food for 60 hours?"
Toolsidass said, "I grieve for animals and our callous society where people don't think twice about making animals suffer to support their own cause. I would like to see their reaction if they don't get food for 60 hours."
Zoo officials, who fear for their lives if their names are published, said, "It all began with the removal of store-keeper Tapan Haldar on May 4, 2009. Haldar strictly maintained the feeding time as well as the quantity and quality of meat. He used to get the director to issue memos against keepers who were slack. Things started worsening after that. Now, the storekeeper is the working president of INTUC Gouranga Chattoraj, who appears to be busier with organizational activities than anything else."
~TOI