Delhi: AN Jha deer park loses its ‘mini zoo’ tag, deer to be relocated

All the deer of Delhi's AN Jha Deer Park will soon be transferred to their natural habitat, after the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change cancelled the recognition of the park located in the Hauz Khas area of the capital.

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In its order, the Environment Ministry ordered the translocation of all the deer to their national habitat in Delhi and Rajasthan. The decision was taken in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority on January 30 to deliberate on the proposal of 'Shifting of Deers and cancellation of recognition of AN Jha Jha Deer Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi".

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However, the order made it clear that the area's land use will remain as Green Protected Forest, according to the Ministry. The ministry in its order said that the recognition of AN Jha Deerr Park in Hauz Khas was valid till August 19, 2021, and decided to not extend its recognition. However, the committee also underlined the fact that the zoo site is an important land urban green space and must be preserved as forest only.

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"The recognition of A.N. Jha Deer Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi was valid up to August 19, 2021. The Committee opined that the zoo site is an important urban green space and therefore, it should be preserved. The land use shall remain as a Green/Protected Forest. Ownership of the land is with DDA. As stated above the area shall be maintained as Forest only. Further stated that the proposal for transfer of all deer to the Rajasthan Forest Department was submitted to the CZA in the past for approval and is in the advanced stage," said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change order.

The letter also added that the estimated population of deer in the park is 600, and all of them shall be released in their natural habitat in Rajasthan and Delhi in the ratio of 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

(With inputs from ANI)