The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has been urged to halt work on the proposed Kukrail Night Safari and Zoological Park in Lucknow, which is billed as India’s first urban night safari project. This request comes in light of changes directed by the CEC in the original proposal.
Background
A representation made to the CEC argued that despite the Supreme Court allowing the project to proceed on July 15, the modifications to the original proposal could jeopardize the environmental clearance and zoo-related approvals. The court's approval was based on the CEC’s recommendations, which had previously rejected plans to relocate Lucknow’s Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Park, establish an adventure park, and widen a road into four lanes.
Prakriti Srivastava, a former Indian Forest Service officer and one of the petitioners, stated in the representation made to the CEC on August 21:
““In light of the conditions imposed by this committee, it is submitted that the Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo project as proposed by the State of Uttar Pradesh can no longer be developed.”
Key Issues Raised
While the Supreme Court cleared the project, it allowed parties to submit suggestions regarding the implementation of the CEC's conditions. The representation emphasized that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA)’s approval and environmental clearance were granted to the composite project, which included relocating the Lucknow zoo. It was noted that Uttar Pradesh must prepare a new project proposal and obtain fresh approvals from the CZA and environmental clearance from the Centre.
