Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is at risk of ceasing operations because it owes hundreds of billions of dong in rent for a prime land plot in the city center, nearly 16 hectares wide.
The Zoo and Botanical Garden is located near the downstream of the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe canal with two gates at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street and 1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the city center area, surrounded by large real estate projects and many iconic architectural works. 
This zoo was built in 1864 (now 160 years old) and is one of the 8 oldest zoos in the world. 
To date, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is nurturing more than 2,000 animals of 135 species, including many rare species, such as crested pheasants, douc langurs, yellow-cheeked gibbons, golden deer, leopards, clouded leopards... There are also more than 2,500 trees with more than 900 preserved plant species. 
This is a place that attracts tourists when visiting Ho Chi Minh City and is also a sky of memories for many generations of people living in this land. 
In 2014, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee decided to lease 158,117 square meters of land here to Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company for public use. The land lease term is 50 years, with an annual rent of 163.3 billion VND. However, in reality, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden management unit only uses about 5,600 square meters and has paid the annual rent. 
According to Ms. Vu Thi Huong Giang - Director of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company, the unit operates "for non-profit purposes". The main function of the company is to manage and take care of the zoo with more than 4,000 animals and plants, many of which are rare and endangered. 
Recently, the District 1 Tax Department announced that the tax debt of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden Company Limited as of October 31 had exceeded VND846 billion. Of which, VND787 billion is the overdue tax debt that must be enforced. 
According to the leader of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company, if the tax collection of hundreds of billions of VND as above is forced, the cost of animal and plant care and conservation will be greatly affected. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens is even at risk of having to stop operating. At the press conference on December 12, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, most of the land assigned to Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens for management is public land. The Department has noted the difficulties and problems of the unit and reported to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City for consideration and resolution. 
Speaking to the press, Ho Chi Minh City Chairman Phan Van Mai also emphasized that all problems have solutions. The city has assigned departments and branches to review and reconsider the tax debt of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden. Mr. Mai also affirmed that "closing the Zoo and Botanical Garden" will definitely not happen.
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/toan-canh-khu-dat-vang-rong-gan-16ha-cho-thao-cam-vien-sai-gon-thue-2352009.html
Comment (0)