Byculla Zoo caught in tug-of-war

Veermata Jeejabai Udyan, also identified as Byculla Zoo, is among city’s oldest heritage precincts. Difference in opinions has now emerged on how it began life.

Even as naturalists and environmentalists argue that it began life in 1861 as a ‘botanical’ garden with zoological specimens added later, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which maintains the premises and has proposed a multi-crore rupees plan for modernisation of the zoo, has been contesting the claim.

A joint forum of activists led by the Save Rani Baugh Committee had recently objected to BMC’s Rs430-crore modernisation plan saying it would destroy a significant space of  ‘botanical’ gardens - Victoria garden - located inside the premises. The activists had urged the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) to disapprove the plan arguing the heritage value and importance of the ‘botanical’ garden. The MHCC has sought clarification from the BMC over the queries raised.

While BMC is yet to furnish the reply, sources told DNA that the corporation would argue that Victoria gardens is not a botanical garden in the first place. “It is only a garden. Victoria gardens is not registered as a botanical gardens with the Botanical Survey of India,” said a senior official.

A botanical garden is defined as an institution holding documented collections of plants for purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education. The official said that the Victoria gardens did not meet the definition.

The greens had also stated that new animal enclosures being planned under the modernisation plan will destroy 200 varieties of rare species. Claiming that garden had only eight rare varieties, BMC has said that even these will not be destroyed.