Court dismisses corruption complaint against CM Siddaramaiah, minister over ad revenue losses
Ramesh alleged that the state government used BBMP-owned bus shelters to advertise its achievements without paying the mandatory advertisement fee.
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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Environment Minister refutes claim of Delhi Zoo ‘privatisation'
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday (June 7, 2025) rebutted allegations by Congress leader and party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh that the National Zoological Park in Delhi was on a path to 'privatisation'. Mr. Ramesh, in a post on social media, was responding to a media report that cited an unnamed official in the Environment Ministry, stating that a knowledge-sharing agreement was being negotiated between the Delhi Zoo and the Reliance Industries-run Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC), which operates the Vantara facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat. In a statement issued via social media platform X, Mr. Yadav said, 'Some people have made it a habit to create doubts in the mind of the public at every instance. Zoological parks enter into collaborative MoUs with other zoos, universities and scientific institutions for enhancement of conservation efforts, scientific research, education and capacity building, resource sharing and animal welfare, etc.' He clarified that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the regulatory body for zoos in the country, routinely enters into such partnerships, and that the MoU with GZRRC had originally been signed in January 2021. 'This MoU is focused on exchange of animals, capacity building of animal keepers, technical exchanges on scientific management of animals and sharing knowledge on conservation breeding and education. GZRRC has developed state-of-the-art facilities and services in animal health and welfare, world-class zoo designing, rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals and habitat enrichment,' Mr. Yadav said. He added that a 'revised' MoU was being considered to deepen collaboration in areas such as wildlife conservation, animal rescue and rehabilitation, veterinary care, zoo planning, enclosure design, conservation education, and capacity building. 'Key areas of cooperation include support for veterinary care and allied services, exchange of best practices in captive management of endangered species, and technical assistance in zoo planning, enclosure design, enrichment, visitor engagement, and staff training. It also includes knowledge-sharing initiatives, staff exchange, capacity building, conservation education, and potential animal exchanges,' Mr. Yadav noted. He said the Delhi Zoo had entered into similar collaborations in the past as part of its modernisation initiatives focused on improving animal welfare and enhancing visitor experience. Mr. Ramesh, however, had questioned the manner in which the proposed agreement was being pursued, alleging that it was being done in a 'hush-hush' fashion. 'Zoos, national parks, tiger and other reserves, and sanctuaries are all public services and must never be privatised in any form,' he said.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Some have habit of creating doubts': Minister Bhupender Yadav rebuts Jairam Ramesh on Delhi Zoo privatization concerns
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav Saturday rebutted questions and privatization concerns raised by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh regarding the Delhi Zoo and an agreement proposed between the Centre-run establishment and Reliance-run Greens Zoological, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC). In a post on social media platform X, Yadav said that the National Zoological Park (NZP), which is run by the Centre, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GZRRC, based in Gujarat's Jamnagar, in January 2021, and NZP has sought to revise the existing MoU. He said NZP has signed MoUs with different organisations working in wildlife management in the past as part of its modernisation drive and will continue to do so. Replying to Ramesh's post, Yadav said, 'Some people have made it a habit to create doubts in the mind of the public at every instance.' Ramesh had said on June 4 that while the government 'claims that this is not a management transfer, its past record does not inspire confidence. Is this the first step towards handing over the zoo to a private enterprise?' Yadav said that the 2021 MoU between NZP and GZRRC focused on the exchange of animals, capacity building, animal keepers, technical exchanges on the scientific management of animals, and sharing knowledge on conservation breeding and education. 'Keeping in line with the common objectives of captive wildlife management and for further broadening the collaboration as per current management requirements, NZP sought to revise the existing MoU with GZRRC. The proposed MoU aims to foster collaboration in wildlife conservation, rescue, rehabilitation, animal health, and welfare,' Yadav said. The key areas of cooperation, he added, include support for veterinary care, enclosure design, enrichment, staff training, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and potential animal exchanges. Yadav added in his post that GZRRC has developed state-of-the-art facilities and services in animal health and welfare, world-class zoo designing, rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals, and habitat enrichment. NZP, he said, being a 60-year-old institution, has gained substantial expertise in breeding and care of many endangered species and is aiming to modernise its facilities and services by adopting best practices in animal welfare in captivity, as well as enhanced visitor experience, on par with a world-class zoo. The Central Zoo Authority granted approval to GZRCC in February 2019, and an initial recognition was granted in August 2020. As per its latest available annual report, GZRRC is home to 10,360 animals of 345 species. Most animals housed at GZRRC are 'part of its initiative to rescue captive animals from impoverished conditions in zoos and facilities in the nature of zoos, to decongest them and provide welfare to animals that were housed under sub-optimal conditions,' the annual report states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited and inaugurated Vantara, the rescue facility at Jamnagar, on March 4 this year.
United News of India
7 hours ago
- United News of India
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in New Delhi, to meet PM Modi, EAM
New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting New Delhi today, to further advance the India-UK relationship during talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, besides other government officials. His visit comes after the two nations agreed on the Free Trade Agreement, which is set to increase trade by more than pounds 25 billion every year. Foreign Secretary Lammy will meet with Prime Minister Modi on his second visit to India to discuss ongoing economic and migration partnership, a statement from the British HC said. The Foreign Secretary will also welcome progress in the migration partnership, including ongoing work on safeguarding citizens and securing borders in both countries. Addressing migration remains a top priority for the government - the Foreign Secretary is focused on working internationally with global partners to secure the UK's borders at home. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'Signing a free trade agreement is just the start of our ambitions - we're building a modern partnership with India for a new global era. We want to go even further to foster an even closer relationship and cooperate when it comes to delivering growth, fostering innovative technology, tackling the climate crisis and delivering our migration priorities, and providing greater security for our people.' The Foreign Secretary will also meet with leading figures in Indian business to discuss how we can unlock even greater investment by Indian business in the UK. Our investment relationship supports over 600,000 jobs across both countries, with over 950 Indian-owned companies in the UK and over 650 UK companies in India. In 2023-24, India was the UK's second largest source of investments in terms of number of projects for the fifth consecutive year. Talks will also take stock of progress, following a commitment by the UK and Indian Prime Ministers to take forward an ambitious UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The trade deal is a key example of the progress being made since the last meeting between the Foreign Secretary and his Indian counterpart. It follows the signing of the UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation Agreement in May and pounds 400 million of trade and investment wins boosting the British and the Indian economy at the Economic and Financial Dialogue in April. The Foreign Secretary is also expected to address the recent escalation in tensions following the Pahalgam terrorist attack and how the welcomed sustained period of peace can be best supported in the interests of stability in the region. On May 2, the UK and India signed a new UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation to boost collaboration across the arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors. The agreement will open the door for increased UK creative exports to India and enable more partnerships between UK and Indian museums and cultural institutions, helping to grow UK soft power. At the 13th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in April, Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed pounds 400 million of trade and investment wins set to boost the British and the Indian economy and deliver economic growth and security for working people. David Lammy travelled to India on his first official visit as Foreign Secretary in July last year, when he announced the landmark UK-India Technology Security Initiative. UNI RN
