The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has granted conditional approval to the makeover plan on 11 August 2009. However, in September 2010 it has sent a review team to look into our complaints regarding violation of CZA conditions whose report is awaited.
In February 2010 the MHCC consulted two experts, Dr. Asad Rahmani, Director BNHS and Dr. M.R. Almeida, an eminent botanist, both of whom came down heavily against BMCs proposed redevelopment. On May 19, 2010 the MHCC rejected the redevelopment proposal in no uncertain terms and stated thus: 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.
Despite there being no formal approval for the makeover from the MHCC, a tender for Rs. 34.29 crore has been awarded to M/s. Technotrade Impex India Ltd for the work under Phase I as under:
Development of infrastructure
Civil construction and landscaping around the administrative building
Wall fence
Service road &
Hospital commissary and quarantine areas
Despite there being no approval for the makeover from the MHCC, construction activity has commenced in the botanical garden area purportedly to build a temporary animal hospital. The MHCC has strongly criticized this premeditated activity and called for a halt to the construction but recent reports indicate that the construction is continuing. Full scale construction on a plot called Parcel B where MCGM intends to construct an administrative building is going on since November 2009. Our string objection to this has been brought to the notice of both MCGM and MHCC.
In spite of a severe financial crisis, Rs 192 crore has been allocated towards zoo renovation in the MCGM budget for the financial year 2010-2011.
In July 2010 the MCGM approached Prof. Almeida to identify the trees and shrubs so as to redress the mistakes in the existing data. This survey shows that the botanical garden is home to 843 species of plants belonging to 149 botanical families (including 3,213 trees of 276 species).
News reports indicate that the MCGM is in the process of drafting a fresh redevelopment proposal. This fresh plan will necessarily require the approval of CZA and MHCC afresh.
The Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Action Committee awaits these plans under the RTI Act and will evaluate them in accordance with its primary concern of preserving the heritage 149 year old botanical garden and its accessibility for posterity.
Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Foundation
info@saveranibagh.org
