Chandigarh bird park earns crores but where does the money go

These findings came to light during the recent audit report of Director General of Audit, Sector 17, which raised strong objection before the UT Forest and Wildlife Department. The audit department found this in the contravention of Article 266 (1) of the Constitution, which mandates that all the collected revenues should only be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India.

Sources said that the audit department also raised objection that approximately Rs 5 crore obtained from the government budget was spent on the construction of Bird Park spread in an area of 6.5 acres of land inside Nagar Van but the earning was deposited in the accounts of a society.

Sources said upon receiving the strong audit objections, the UT administration has agreed to dissolve the society, FOSCON, and transfer the collected revenue to the Consolidated Fund of India. The UT Forest and Wildlife Department will look after the Bird Pak, which houses more than 900 exotic birds.

The Bird Park was constructed during the tenure of former Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), UT, Debandra Dalai, in 2022. The wife of then President of India Ram Kumar Kovind, Kavita Kovind, had inaugurated it on November 16, 2022. Sources said that FOSCON was constituted with the principal approval of then administrator, whose final approval was pending.

When contacted, Director Environment-cum-Chief Conservator of Forest, UT, Tapish Chandra Nautiyal said, “Following the objection of audit department, administration has decided to dissolve the FOSCON. Bird Park will be handed over to the UT Forest and Wildlife Department which is capable of running it. Discussions are being held on this between the Finance Department and the Environment Department. There will be no impact on the operations of Bird Park because all the office-bearers of FOSCON, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Deputy CEO and members of its executive body are from the UT Forest and Wildlife Department.”

A finance department officer said, “FOSCON has not paid income tax in the last two years. Before dissolving it, we have to clear all the dues from the Income Tax Department. We accepted that deposit of revenue of Rs 3.56 crore in the accounts of society was against Article 266 (1) of the Constitution.”

Reacting to the findings of audit department, activist R K Garg said, “The audit department should go more deep into the functioning of UT administration which formed many societies to run several government projects. The earning of these projects are going into the accounts of these societies instead of the state exchequer.”

The entry fee to the Bird Park costs Rs 30 to Rs 100 — Rs 30 for children 5 to 12 years, Rs 50 for adult (Indian), Rs 100 for adults (foreigners). Visitors pay extra fee to enter a special enclosure where they are able to click pictures with exotic birds, including Green Wing Macaw.

In April 2022, FOSCON had abandoned its idea of procuring 70 exotic birds at a cost of Rs 70 lakh, for its park-cum-exotic bird aviary located at Nagar Van.