SC okays night safari project in Greater Noida

The Supreme Court has given clearance to set up the country's first night safari in Greater Noida, which would home nocturnal animals from India as well a some imported big cats.

The country's first night safari is all set to come up in Greater Noida with the Supreme Court giving its clearance to the project, which shall be just the fourth of its kind in the world.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam allowed the application of Greater Noida Authority for the project which will be set up on a 102-acre plot at the Mursheedpur reserve forest adjoining the Yamuna Expressway.

The Greater Noida Authority has already tied up with Singapur-based Bernard Harrison, which has been instrumental in setting up night safaris in the Asian countries.
The safari, which is planned to be kept open from evening till midnight, would be home to mostly nocturnal animals, like leopard, hyenas and owls sourced from within India. It also plans to import big cats from South Africa and South American countries.

The project has been pending since 2005 after it got clearance from the Central Zoo Authority and was waiting for a clearance from the apex court, which had banned setting up of fresh zoos due to poor condition of the existing ones.

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