Nagpur: Maharajbag zoo authorities will keep the zoo closed to the public from March 16 (Monday) following instructions from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), New Delhi, which is owned by growing cases of coronavirus across the country. On 13 March, Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, released a circular to the country’s Directors / Officers-in-Charge of Big, Medium and Mini Category Zoos asking the authorities concerned to take all possible preventive measures to monitor the spread of the virus.
The mass meeting should be avoided according to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s office memorandum to minimize COVID-19 distribution. This is also recommended to avoid public meetings, or possibly postpone them until the disease is controlled. In the wake of COVID-19, the zoos will show the posters and advisory about healthy habits prominently.
The circular mentions that although the mode of transmission of the novel Coronavirus is not yet recorded from animal to human, it is important to adhere to appropriate sanitary and hygienic standards in animal feed stores and slaughter building. In this time of heightened concern, frequent cleaning and disinfection of open areas must be increased.
Zoo workers have been recommended by the CZA to use mask explicitly dealing with public and daily handwashing, hygiene and social distancing must be preserved at ticket/entry gates. According to the memorandum of office distributed by the Ministry of Employment, Public Grievances, and Pensions (Employment and Training Department), it is important to avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated.
Employees will thus be exempted from biometric attendance markings until March 31. Nevertheless, during this time all workers are expected to record their attendance in the attendance list, it pointed out. Dr. Sunil Bawaskar, Maharajbag Zoo’s office-in-charge, said the zoo’s staff and employees started taking precautionary measures from Sunday. There were practically no Maharajbag Zoo guests, he said.
