'Madison Square model as replacement '; Chief Minister reignites discussions on relocating zoo

KOCHI: Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan once again talked about his vision regarding the proposed changes to the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo. Satheesan announced that a 'Madison Square' model would be in place of the existing zoo in Thiruvananthapuram. The Chief Minister made this statement while inaugurating the Kerala Travel Mart at the Lulu International Convention Centre in Kochi.

Discussions regarding relocation of the zoo arose following a statement made earlier by the Chief Minister. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh also supported this move. The Mayor noted that climate change poses a significant challenge to the animals in the zoo, leading to numerous deaths and the disappearance of many species previously housed there. He advocated relocating the zoo to an interior area that offers a natural habitat suitable for wild animals.

However, CPM expressed strong disapproval of the proposed plan to relocate the zoo. Former MLA V.K. Prasanth alleged that the Chief Minister's move is driven by commercial interests. He stated that the plan is to sell off the zoo land to business tycoons and noted that the 167-year-old zoo is an integral part of the city's cultural heritage.