The HCM City administration has approval a proposal from the government of Củ Chi District for a comprehensive inspection of the long-delayed US$500-million Sài Gòn Safari Park project. — Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — The HCM City administration has approval a proposal from the government of Củ Chi District for a comprehensive inspection of the long-delayed US$500-million Sài Gòn Safari Park project.

The inspection, expected to be carried out today, will be led by HCM City’s Chief Inspector and officials from the municipal departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Finance and Judicial, as well as the Land Compensation Assessment Council.

The inspection was decided after a visit of the city’s Party Secretary Đinh La Thăng to the district, which asked the government to inspect the zoning plan of industrial parks and other projects, including the Sài Gòn Safari Park.

Thăng and a group of National Assembly-nominated candidates met with Củ Chi district voters to talk about a plan to develop the district.

Voters raised a number of significant difficulties related to the delayed project.

Construction of the Safari project has been suspended for 12 years, which means land for 700 households in the district was on hold for the same period of time. The major problem for projects carried out at a snail pace is the land clearance issue. 

Thăng has also moved the construction deadline for the project to later this year. 

Due to the project’s suspension, local residents have not been able to repair their houses, and a large area of land has been left unused.

As of 2007, 96 per cent of the total area had been cleared to make room for the Sài Gòn Safari.

However, the project has suffered from slow site clearance and compensation for the remaining area.

The 485ha zoo is expected to attract tourists to Củ Chi and in improve the socio-economic situation in the district, said Thăng.

Jobs would be provided both during the construction and operation of the Safari park.

Once finished, Sài Gòn Safari Park is expected to become Việt Nam’s largest ecotourism facility.

The park will focus on wildlife conservation and the breeding of rare plants and animals.

It will consist of an open zoo, a night safari, a butterfly garden, a botanical collection, a natural museum, a flora and fauna research centre, and a picnic site, as well as other facilities.

The park will be home to more than 300 animal species with 10,000 animals and 3,000 kinds of plants. — VNS