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BJP supports Keralam CM suggestion to shift zoo from capital city; CPI(M) opposes it
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 17 (PTI) Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor V V Rajesh on Thursday backed Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s suggestion to shift the zoo here from the city to another location, saying it would help protect and maintain the various species of animals housed there.
CPI(M) leader V K Prasanth, on the other hand, said that there were commercial interests behind the proposal to shift the zoo out of the city and indicated that such a move would be opposed.
Satheesan, a day ago, had proposed shifting the Thiruvananthapuram zoo, considered as one of the oldest zoological parks in the subcontinent, to a forest area, saying animals should be kept closer to their natural habitat.
He also suggested converting the existing zoo site into a beautiful public space, on the lines of Madison Square in the US.
Welcoming the suggestion, Rajesh said the matter needs to be discussed seriously.
He said that due to climate change and the resulting rise in temperatures, many animals are dying and various species which were original to the city were no longer present here.
“So we have to wait for years to bring them here from other places. Many people come here and go back disappointed at not getting to see the rare species,” the BJP leader said.
He said that, according to many experts, the air and noise pollution in the city and the heat are posing a challenge to the zoo to maintain rare species and suggested shifting it to an interior location similar to the natural habitat of the wild animals.
“If we can use the latest technology and set up a place, in a more interior part of the state that is similar to their natural habitat and ecosystem, we can bring in more rare species and protect them,” he said.
“The government will have to decide the place,” he added.
He said that when the zoo was established here, the situation in the city was different and now it was getting more international attention.
Alleging commercial interests behind the CM’s proposal, Prasanth said the zoo area was one of the sources of pure air for the city and lot of people are dependent on the establishment.
“It is suspected that the intention behind the suggestion might be to hand over the area to some corporates or businessmen. The zoo is our pride. If the CM is saying he wants to turn the area into Madison Square, I would say the Thiruvananthapuram museum and zoo area is much better than that,” he said.
He alleged that the proposal was part of an agenda to destroy the city.
Spread across 30 acres, the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is one of the country’s oldest and largest zoos.
Established in 1859 as an adjunct to the Museum by the erstwhile Travancore royals, it attracts around 14 lakh visitors annually.
The zoo houses 1,025 animals belonging to 98 species and has a natural lake and wooded landscapes that support 93 species of free-roaming birds, including migratory species.
It also provides habitat for various butterflies, dragonflies, ants, beetles and spiders, while more than 100 species of indigenous and exotic plants add to its natural setting. PTI HMP KH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
