Mumbai: The BMC has spent Rs29.43 crore on the maintenance of penguins at Byculla Zoo since October 2018, according to information obtained on July 2023 under the Right to Information Act (RTI)
The civic body spent Rs2.47 crore to procure and transport the birds to the zoo, which is officially called The Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan.
Rs 20 Cr on enclosures for animals
The municipality has also spent nearly Rs20 crore on enclosures for animals – lions, wolves and otters – that it is yet to procure.
The information was obtained by RTI applicant Jeetendra Ghadge.
The BMC has spent Rs8.25 crore on a lion enclosure, Rs7.15 crore on a wolf enclosure and Rs3.82 crore on an otter enclosure.
“In a city where an average Mumbaikar struggles to afford a home for 50lakh, it is baffling to comprehend how animals reside in multi-crore enclosures. This discrepancy is hard to digest,” Ghadge said.
Superintendent of Garden could not be contacted for comment.
Pointers:
Rs8.25cr
BMC spending on a lion enclosure
Rs7.15cr
Spending on a wolf enclosure
Rs3.82cr
Spending on otter enclosure
