Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister V D Satheesan has proposed relocating Thiruvananthapuram zoo from the heart of the city to a forested area, preferably near Neyyar, to provide animals with a more natural habitat and develop the facility to international standards.Speaking at the ‘Reimagining Kerala’ programme organised by state govt on Wednesday, Satheesan said keeping wild animals in the middle of a densely populated city was not appropriate and could amount to cruelty.“My view is that the zoo should be shifted to a place like Neyyar, surrounded by forests,” he said. Each animal had its own natural habitat and the zoo should be located in an environment more suited to the animals, he pointed out.Satheesan said the relocation would also open up the possibility of redeveloping the existing zoo premises as a major public space and tourist attraction in the capital.He proposed turning the present zoo site into a grand square on the lines of Madison Square or one of the iconic squares in Prague. The idea is to create a visually appealing destination where people visiting Thiruvananthapuram could spend time and access multiple attractions at a single location, he said.Describing the proposal as one of his “dream projects”, Satheesan acknowledged that the plan was not included in the current budget. He said the idea could, however, be pursued as part of the long-term development of the capital city.
