|
Greens protest zoo privatisation
Mumbai: Several civil and environmental groups have joined hands to protest the civic body’s decision to hand over the responsibility of running the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan Zoo to a private company once the renovation process is complete. They also raised objections to building a highend restaurant and full-fledged quarters for the civic staff.
Members of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), WWF-India, AGNI, Sanctuary Asia, Citispace, Awaaz Foundation and the Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Action Committee said they opposed the BMC’s decision to privatise the island city’s largest green space as this would deny access to some people. Rani Bagh is one of the most visited parks in the world with an average of 8,000 visitors each day, a number which goes up to up to 30,000 on holidays.
“This is mainly on account of a reasonable entry fee of Rs 5 for adults and Rs 2 for children. Will a private agency maintain this affordable entry fee? The BMC has a duty to run and maintain gardens which are accessible to all sections of society. It cannot abdicate this role by appointing a private agency to run Rani Bagh,’’ said Katie Bagli of the Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Action Committee.
Bagli also said that the BMC had already spent Rs 400 crore on renovation, highrises with duplex flats for its employees and a restaurant with glass walls from where cheetahs can be viewed. “Now, it wants to hand over the entire running of the zoo to a private party to generate revenue.
|
Email this Page