T‘puram: Tree Walk, a city-based collective of nature lovers, has petitioned chief minister V D Satheesan to hold a public hearing on the proposed relocation of Thiruvananthapuram Zoo and explain the plans to the public.They also wanted him to drop the plan to relocate the zoo as it would “negatively affect the city’s social fabric, tourism value, and ecological balance.”The petition said that “Your recent statement about shifting the zoo, a defining landmark of Thiruvananthapuram, has deeply unsettled the public over the past month. So far, no satisfactory explanation has been provided.”Tree Walk has asked him to move forward only through a process that reflects public opinion and collective consultation.“We request that the reasons behind the zoo’s relocation be clearly presented to the public, and that, in your capacity as chief minister, you take the initiative to hold a public hearing or an open dialogue with citizens.”The collective also attached two studies – Trees of Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo by Namitha L H and Gangaprasad A and The Emerald Island by Balachandran V and Suresh Elamon – that highlight the unique microclimate created by the zoo landscape and the ecological harmony between its green spaces and living beings.Tree Walk said the studies show that the zoo is home to a vast range of life forms, including rare and endangered trees, native species, and exotic fauna.“Beyond the animals housed there, this habitat also shelters migratory birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and many other forms of wildlife. We are fully convinced that the development you propose cannot be carried out without endangering this rich biological world. Therefore, Tree Walk firmly declares that this project must not proceed under any circumstances. We also remind you that implementing such a project while disregarding the interests, opinions, and emotions of countless people would be contrary to democratic principles.”They wanted the CM to take a decision to protect this space as a natural heritage site.For the past 14 years, Tree Walk has been a people’s collective dedicated to bringing knowledge about Thiruvananthapuram’s green wealth to the public through study and observation. “Our group includes environmental scientists, teachers, students, artists, writers, and architects, among others. Naturally, the proposed change concerning the zoo has caused us serious concern,” said the petition.
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