'Animal welfare fortnight'

By P. Oppili

CHENNAI, JAN. 13. The Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur will organise `Animal Welfare Fortnight', beginning tomorrow. Organised in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India and the Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO), Coimbatore, the programme will have awareness programmes for teachers and children.

The teachers' training programme will be held from January 21 to January 25. The students programme will begin on January 26.

Video films on wildlife will be screened for the benefit of visitors, said Mr. N. Krishnakumar, Director of the Park. The programme is being organised to coincide with the Animal Welfare Week celebrations of the Animal Welfare Board of India, he said.

Two special workshops -- one for teachers and the other for students -- will be conducted on January 24 and 29, respectively. Educational materials will be distributed to the children on the occasion, said Mr. B. Venkatraman, Deputy Director.

Officials are also gearing up to welcome the visitors on the Kaanum Pongal day. Zoo entrance has been given a facelift by creating lawns on both sides. More than 40 water points have been created for the benefit of visitors, said the officials.

Foresters from other divisions, numbering about 50, along with 100 Zoo Club volunteers, will regulate the crowd inside the zoo on the Kaanum Pongal day. Each visitor will be checked for plastic bags and will be given degradable paper bags.

Similarly, carrying alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, beedis and other materials also will not be allowed inside the zoo premises, the officials said. All the vehicles coming to the zoo will be allowed in the parking area and no vehicle will be allowed inside, added the officials.

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