City mini zoo in a bad shape
By Vishal Gulati
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 6 — This is the story of some 40 animals and 100-odd birds housed in the mini zoo adjacent to two Raj Bhavans in Chandigarh.

These captive creatures are living under stressful conditions and look totally exhausted and fatigued.

A visit to the zoo today showed that those concerned with the upkeep of the place and care of the inmates have done little to provide these animals and birds relief from the heat.

The place gives a forlorn look. Even basic amenities and facilities like adequate water and proper sanitation are missing.

Cruelty is the word which comes to mind as one walks past the cages and enclosures of these “prisoners” who look famished. If monkeys cages are without sufficient space for them to frolic and do acrobats, the condition of ponds for ducks — both Indian and American is no better. Ponds are half-empty, the water is infested with fungus and weeds and stink. A mere trickle comes out of taps.

Not far are the ditches dug out in the enclosure of the deer. Most of these are not under the shade, much to the discomfiture use of the animals. Their water troughs are dirty and smelly.

No protection has been provided for the birds’ cages. Hot winds and scorching sun batter these little chirpers. The keepers of the zoo, perhaps, forget that there is a world of difference between the wild and the zoo animals. Extra care is needed for the captive ones which keepers seem to have forgotten.

Spread over an area of 8 acres, the zoo was mired in a controversy for the past several years with the authorities debating to shift or retain it at its present site. Eventually, it was decided to retain the zoo at its present site. One only wishes the two “lat sahibs” in the neighbourhood would peep over the boundary wall or walk into the zoo to see for themselves the plight of the animals!

Enquiries revealed that there is no provision for medical aid nor is there any treatment room for the sick creatures. The place certainly calls for attention and modifications to make the animals feel at home.

If the nearby golf course and Raj Bhavan lawns can be kept lush green, why cannot the requirements of the inmates of the zoo be met by ensuring proper cleanliness and upkeep of ponds to enable the animals to beat the heat? Why can’t small steps like providing protective cover to birds’ cages and enclosures and other be taken?

Heat adds to woes of school kids
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 6 — With the temperature soaring in the city, certain schools have either decided to close down early or have changed their timings to beat the heat. But with most children of the city still going to schools, there seems to be little respite from the unprecedented heat. Electricity cuts, shortage of water, and in certain schools even compulsory physical-education classes in the scorching sun, add to the woes of the school children.

"Which law book says that the schools have to be shut down only on a particular date. A date which had been set years ago, when the population was not much, pollution levels were different and even the weather conditions were different. In my dispensary alone I have seen a rise in the cases of heat strokes over the years. We all know the kind of water available in schools these days. In case of water coolers available in the schools, do you think that these coolers are being cleaned on a regular basis ? The number of water-borne diseases obviously go up these months. Children do not need to suffer in a situation when an option is available. If we advise kids to carry glucose with them or even wet towels, it certainly would not be feasible. But replacement of of body fluids is very essential", said Dr Prabha Bhandari, general physician at the Sector 20 Dispensary.

Agreeing with her that schools should be shut down in hot summer months, Mr Praveen Talwar, a businessman, whose two children are l attending a convent schools, said: "In this severe heat the kids should be exempted from attending their school. My son is in the sixth standard and my daughter is in the second, and their respective schools do have water and electricity facilities but you can imagine the plight of 50 children in a room sharing two or three fans.? And why do children need to attend cricket classes these days? It is common sense that since this summer the heat is unbearable there needs to be some saving grace for the kids. If two or three schools in the city could shut their schools, why not all"

Mr Talwar went on to add that holidays in the winter break can be reduced to make up the additional holidays given in summer..

Interestingly most kids did not seem to resent the heat so much as the fact that the schools were still open! "Seeing the heat my school has changed the timing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon. It is a big relief, but otherwise once in school we did not seem to mind too much. As far as water and electricity are concerned, it becomes quite unbearable when the power goes and there is smell of sweat all around. But water is available in water coolers, and since I do not take my own water bottle, I guess the water must be clean. Before going to school my mother makes sure that I drink lots of 'Roohafza', but I have been forbidden to have 'ice-golas' from outside. I have it only when my friends force me to, because it tastes nice in summers", said Amit Sachdev, studying in Class X in a public school in Sector 10.

Monica, a 12- year-old student of a government school in Sector 8, added: "It is very hot these days and we are 42 children in class with three fans. At times when there is no power it become unbearable. But because wearing of ties is not compulsory for us. We can open our collar buttons and feel cooler. But I wish schools would close down, because the heat makes me feel very sleepy".

And the summers are worse for students who go in the afternoon shifts to government schools. Mrs Jyoti Gupta, mother of three children, all of whom attend A Hindi-medium school in the afternoon shift bemoaned this fact. Her children attend school from 1 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. "My small children are studying in nursery, class IV and class V. I have to take great care for them in this heat. I do give them water-bottles and even make them carry umbrellas, but kids are too small to understand. I do believe that schools should be shut down immediately in this heat".

The Principal of Government Model School, Sector 12, located within the PGI premises, Mrs Sukarma Sharma, also agrees that it would be better for everybody to avoid the heat, especially the children.

"The PGI has provided the school with two water tanks of 500 litres each, and so we do not have any problem of water supply. And we also take care of the fact that if there are any outdoor activities to be carried out they are done before 11 a.m. Otherwise, all such activities, including physical education, after recess are not being carried out. Instead, the children are made to sit inside class rooms and read books other than textbooks. But the heat this time has also been unforeseen, and nobody could have imagined that the city would be sweltering like this in summers", she said.