Indian Express 21.05.2010
Zoo revamp: Heritage panel says rework enclosure layout to preserve green cover
Nitya Kaushik Tags : Byculla Zoo revamp, mumbai Posted: Fri May 21 2010, 23:36 hrs
Mumbai: A week after reviewing the high-profile Byculla Zoo revamp plan in a closed door meeting, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) shot a letter to the civic administration on Wednesday, specifying its objections and observations of the project.The letter raised issues on the preservation of the botanical garden, calculation of green cover and maintenance of buffer area in the zoo. The letter stated, “...the best course of action would be to alter the existing animal enclosures in the way that does not invade the greenery so as to improve the condition of the animals and preserve the botanical garden as it exists today.” The committee suggested “eliminating a few of the other proposals for major alteration of the enclosure”.
Zoo officials said they were currently drafting a detailed reply which will be sent to the heritage panel next week.
The MHCC in its letter pointed out discrepancies in the percentage areas of pathway/roads, garden areas open to the public and those closed to public in the revamp plans. “The committee is quite concerned about the manner in which these percentages have been calculated as these are crucial,” the letter said. The MHCC maintained that the character and status of the Zoo premises as a botanical garden should be recognized, accepted and preserved by the BMC.
Discussing the letter, MHCC chairman Dinesh Afzalpurkar said on Thursday, “We have replied in detail to the revamp plan and are expecting the BMC to make the required changes to the original plans.”
Meanwhile, zoo officials said, “The zoo has always been just a garden, never a botanical garden. Besides, we don’t want to hoodwink any authority, we want a heritage member as well as the Central Zoo Authority member to be a part of our revamp committee. They can monitor the entire makeover process.”
