TOI : Zoo revamp: Tree lovers oppose civic plan : Oct 11, 2007

Zoo revamp: Tree lovers oppose civic plan
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Concerned that the municipal corporation's ambitious plans to revamp
the Byculla zoo will lead to the hacking of important and rare trees, the
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) along with other tree lovers demanded
that the plans to have a "synthetic'' amusement park be scrapped. Hutokshi
Rustomfram, of the Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Action Committee, which
was formed after the BMC came out with a master plan to modernise the zoo,
said the plans endanger 3,177 trees in the botanical park established in
1861.

    The corporation plans to have a 'world-class zoo' at a cost of Rs 433
crore. A master plan, which proposes to have theme gardens of various
continents, a 3D theatre, an artificial baobab tree, and night safari among
other things, is currently being reviewed by the Central Zoo Authority. The
master plan was made by a Thailand-based company for Rs 5 crore.

    Reacting to BMC's assurances that the zoo will not be built at the cost
of trees, Rustomfran said, "They are going to spend Rs 433 crore on 18% of
the zoo, which measures up to 35,000 sq metre. If you break it down, it
means they are going to spend Rs 1.23 lakh for every sq mt.'' She said, it
was obvious that the entire zoo would be transformed into a synthetic
amusement park.

    Rani Baug has some very rare trees like Amherstia nobilis, only two of
which are present in Mumbai. The dense tree cover serves as an ideal habitat
to many birds, bats and butterflies. With its ornate arches, clock tower, a
stone elephant from the Elephanta caves and 500-year-old Baobab trees, the
oldest zoo of Maharashtra figures in the heritage list as a Grade II B
precinct.

    Tree lover Pheroza Godrej said, "If the BMC wants to develop a modern
zoo, why should it be here, at the cost of greenery. They are free to
develop it anywhere else in the city.'' The tree lovers said that the BMC
has steadfastly refused to furnish them with the copy of the master plan.

    Environmentalist Debi Goenka said when he asked additional civic
commissioner R A Rajeev how many trees will be cut for the project, the
latter replied, "bare minimum.'' Rajeev told TOI, "The entire claim of these
socalled tree lovers is based on assumptions. All the enclosures are being
planned around the trees. It may be challenging but that's why we have hired
international planners.'' Asked what bare-minimum cutting of trees meant, he
replied, "It means that shrubs will be cut.''

    toireporter@timesgroup.com
Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 11, 2007; Section:Times City;
Page Number:13

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