CHITWAN: The Crocodile Breeding Centre at Kasara in Chitwan district is finding it hard to operate after Chitwan National Park started curtailing its budget.

According to Assistant Conservation Officer at the Centre, Bed Bahadur Khadka, the Centre requires a budget of some Rs 5 million annually to operate.

But the National Park has allocated only Rs 1 million this fiscal, causing financial crunch for the Centre.

Khadka said that anually it takes some 18,000 kg fish to feed some 600 crocodiles at the Centre.

The Centre, which opened in 1978, runs on the strength of 11 staffers.