Govt allocates Rs100mn to develop Islamabad Zoo

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated Rs 100 million for a new scheme to establish a wildlife conservation and information centre at the old Islamabad Zoo.

The allocated amount under Public Service Development Programme (PSDP) 2022-23 for Climate Change Division focuses on initiating development work on the only zoo in the capital that was nonfunctional due to poor wildlife management.

The wildlife conservation centre would be a modern facility having advanced technological solutions to impart wildlife information to visitors.

The ministry was allocated Rs9.6 billion for new and ongoing projects focusing on climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts against the adverse impacts of environmental degradation and global warming.

Apart from the budget allocation, the government has earmarked Rs100 million for a new scheme in PSDP 2022-23.  The stalled Islamabad Zoo project would be transformed into a wildlife sanctuary and animal preserve zone.

The PSDP 2022-23 has also armarked Rs 9,450.582 million for “Ten Billion Trees Tsunami Programme Phase-I Upscaling of Green Pakistan Programme” for achieving the target of planting 500 million trees.

The PSDP has earmarked Rs 563.035 million and Rs 1,245 million for installation of weather surveillance radars at Multan and Sukkur respectively.

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The Pakistan Meteorological Department has developed project for the establishment of a new Meteorological Observatory at Naran and a hostel for operational staff at Balakot at an estimated of Rs150 million.

The key interventions and programmes  also focused on the establishment of 22 National Parks at an area of 223606.4 square kilometers throughout Pakistan.

It focus on establishment of Air and Water Monitoring Network initially at Islamabad which will be replicated throughout Pakistan.

It also endeavours to support KP Forest Department for sustainability of TBTTP; increase the pace of planning and implementation mechanism to make cities more climate resilient under Climate Resilient Urban Human Settlement Units Project; and to establish weather surveillance radar at Multan and Sukkur.