• So far District Minister has handed over Rs. 2.85 crore collected from people of his Constituency and others
• Govt. decision on Zoo opening for visitors in a day or two

Mysore/Mysuru: Continuing his help for the maintenance of Mysuru Zoo, District Minister S.T. Somashekar handed over a cheque for Rs. 25,14,500 to the Zoo authorities this morning. 

The Minister has been collecting donations from his friends and people of his Constituency and has been appealing everyone including Corporates to donate generously for the maintenance of Mysuru Zoo. The Minister has so far handed over cheques for Rs. 2.85 crore to Zoo including Rs. 22 lakh donation from Infosys Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Somashekar said that he has held discussions with the Deputy Commissioner and other officials on opening the Zoo and added that the Government may issue an order to open the Zoo in a day or two. He further said that once the Government issues an order, he would again hold a meeting with the local elected representatives and others and then decide about it.

Continuing, Somashekar said that AKKA organisation has collected Rs. 27 lakh and added that he would hold a video conference with them at 8 pm today. 

Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) Member-Secretary B.P. Ravi, who also spoke said that there has been a total loss between Rs. 17 crore and Rs. 18 crore from all nine Zoos in the State with Mysuru Zoo suffering Rs. 7 crore loss and Bannerghatta Biological Park Rs. 8 crore loss.

He said that the Zoo Authority has sent a list of precautionary measures taken at the Zoo for its opening and measures to be taken after reopening of the Zoo to the Government and added that the file was with the Chief Secretary.

Zoo Executive Director Ajit M. Kulkarni said it was for the first time in the history of Mysuru Zoo such huge amount in the form of donations have poured in.

MLAs L. Nagendra and S. A. Ramdas, Deputy Commissioner Abiram G. Sankar,  MCC Commissioner Gurudutta Hegde and others were present.