Shiv Sena leaders in the outgoing BMC House today expressed displeasure over the delay in putting seven Humboldt penguins, kept in a quarantine centre at the zoo here, for public display.
They are pushing for their shifting to the enclosure prepared for them at the civic-run Byculla Zoo (Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan) ahead of the March 8 Mayoral poll.
A group of Shiv Sena leaders in the outgoing House, including Standing Committee Chairman Yashodhar Phanse, today inspected the newly built enclosure.
"When we visited here in December last year, senior BMC officials assured us the penguins will be shifted to the enclosure (from the quarantine area) in a month for public display.
"But the delay in opening this world-class enclosure is very sad. We want it to be open as soon as possible," Phanse told reporters in the zoo premises.
Eight penguins, including five females, were procured from Coex Aquarium in Seoul on July 26 and brought to the zoo where they were put in a special quarantine centre. One of the later died.
The enclosure, spread over 1,800 sq ft, consists of a water pool, accommodation area, air handling units and a chiller system to maintain temperatures between 12 to 14 degrees Celsius.
When contacted, zoo director Sanjay Tripathi said a few reports were still "unsatisfactory" and they are looking to expedite the enclosure opening process in the next few days.
"There are two important issues that we need to sort out before opening the enclosure. Ph (potential of hydrogen) value in the pool has been found to be a bit high.
"Beside, we are yet to receive a report on the air quality inside the enclosure. Once we streamline these things, we will try to open it in the next 8-10 days," he said.
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