Flora vs fauna at Byculla zoo……Urvashi Seth
Expert appointed to study plant life advises BMC to relocate zoo and retain trees that are currently there
Expert appointed to study plant life advises BMC to relocate zoo and retain trees that are currently there
There’s a fresh hurdle to the Byculla zoo revamp plan.
An expert in plant matters, taxonomist MR Almeida, who had been appointed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to survey the zoo, submitted his final report to the civic body yesterday.
The report recommends that none of the trees grown in the zoo should be chopped or replanted as they meet global standards.
It also says that if the zoo has to be revamped in keeping with global standards, due to which the revamp becomes necessary, the animals should be relocated and the present site should be made into a botanical garden.
The BMC had appointed Almeida and his team of six taxonomy students to conduct a GPS mapping of the zoo’s biodiversity.
As part of the Rs 430-crore plan to revamp the 53-acre Veermata Jijabai Udyan, the BMC would have to get the trees chopped or replanted.
The report, which was submitted to the BMC yesterday, specifies the precise location of the zoo’s flora and fauna besides specifying exact dimensions height, breadth of the trees.
Green treasure
“The BMC needs to understand the importance of these indigenous plants. If not, the city stands to lose one of its precious gardens,” Almeida told MiD DAY.
“We have submitted our final report and now it’s up to the BMC and the heritage committee to take a call. The report has everything, right from the exact location of the tree to its length and species.”
The report says that 3,213 trees in the garden meet international standards while another 700 species of trees and shrubs are suitable for the environment and should not be damaged as they are old.
“Revamping the zoo will damage the plants. I have mentioned in my report that BMC should drop its zoo revamp plan, instead it should relocate the zoo and give the Veermata Jijabai Udyan the tag of a botanical garden,” said Almeida. “If we go ahead with the revamp plan, a large number of trees will be affected.”
Independent Take
Historian and researcher Sharada Dwivedi, who was formerly a member of the Heritage Committee, said, “The kind of trees that the garden has is unbelievable.
The zoo was brought in as an added attraction, but the garden itself has its popularity. Though they have no plans to replant the trees, the project will damage many trees. The zoo should be relocated in the suburbs.”
The Other Side
“We are yet to get the report. I will be able to comment only once we study the report and discuss it with our team members,” said Chairman of Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, Dinesh Afzalpurkar. Despite phone calls and text messages, Addititional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta did not respond.
“We are yet to get the report. I will be able to comment only once we study the report and discuss it with our team members,” said Chairman of Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, Dinesh Afzalpurkar. Despite phone calls and text messages, Addititional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta did not respond.
Central Zoo Authority evaluation and monitoring officer BK Gupta was unavailable for comment.
* Report recommends that none of the trees grown in the zoo should be chopped as they meet global standards