Barang: Extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani that wreaked havoc in coastal Odisha May 3 has not only crippled normal life, but also dealt a body blow to the financial backbone of Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) here. The nature’s paradise witnessed a slump in visitors’ footfall and subsequent revenue dip in the first quarter of 2019-20 financial year as compared to the corresponding period of 2018-19 FY.
According to data, Nandankanan saw 3,34,954 less footfall during April to July of 2019-20 financial year as compared to the corresponding period of 2018-19, entailing a revenue loss of Rs 1,28,65,020.
In 2018, the zoo had earned Rs 4,55,42,531 from 8,82,758 visitors from April to July. “The zoo witnessed 1,73,580 visitors and generated a revenue of Rs 88, 02,653 in April. In May, the NZP earned Rs 1,23,63,104 from 2,44,200 visitors. Similarly, the zoo welcomed 3,02,789 visitors and earned Rs 1,45,74,494 from them in June. Moreover, around 1,62,189 visitors had come to the nature’s paradise in July and the zoo earned Rs 98,02,280 from them,” said a source.
Nandankanan got Rs 3,26,77,511 from 5,47,804 visitors in the first quarter of 2019. “In April 2019, NZP welcomed 1,48,320 visitors and earned Rs 90,57,469 by way of revenue. Similarly, NZP earned Rs 22,63,810 from 39, 278 visitors. In June, 1,86,192 visitors came to Nandankanan entailing a revenue earning of Rs 1,03,87,882. In July, NZP witnessed a footfall of as many as 1,74,114 visitors and it got Rs 1,09,68,350 as revenue,” the source added.
Sources said apart from Nandankanan, private service providing agencies associated with the zoo—battery-driven vehicles, parking, safari and boating —also bore the brunt of the nature’s fury as they too suffered a heavy financial setback following Cyclone Fani.