Mysuru: The Aquarium near the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popular as Mysuru Zoo, half-built by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) will be handed over to the Zoo for refurbishing and maintenance. The aquarium structure, built at a cost of Rs. 3 crore, is lying in a state of neglect now and has become a place for illegal activities. Tourism and Sericulture Minister S.R. Mahesh, who holds the in-charge of Boards and Corporations including Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), Tourism Board, Jungle Lodges & Resorts and Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation, has directed the MCC to hand over the aquarium to the Zoo. The aquarium has been built in an area of 6,000 square feet. During a visit to the Zoo this morning, ZAK Member Secretary B.P. Ravi and In-charge Zoo Executive Director Siddaramappa Chalakapure told the Minister that the aquarium was lying in a state of neglect and if it is handed over to the Zoo, they would maintain it well and make it another tourist attraction. They told the Minister that while MCC was ready to hand over the aquarium, it was demanding a 50 percent share in the profits. Former Mayors R. Lingappa and M.J. Ravikumar told the Minister that a resolution was passed by the MCC Council long back to hand over the aquarium to the Zoo but the Zoo was not ready to part with 50 percent of the profits as demanded by the MCC.
