VMC to shift Butterfly Park to Ajwa Garden

A proposal before the Standing Committee requests a ‘change of place’ for the park to Ajwa garden

The proposal states that it is necessary to construct new gardens for the benefit of the citizens.

Six months after the VMC awarded the work order for the construction of the controversial Butterfly Park inside Sayajibaug, popularly called Kamatibaug garden, a proposal before the Standing Committee this week requests a “change of place” for the park to Ajwa Garden. The proposal seeks that the butterfly park should be allowed to move to Ajwa Garden instead of Sayajibaug as the project has seen much opposition from people, including morning walkers of Kamatibaug.

The proposal states that it is necessary to construct new gardens for the benefit of the citizens. “The Butterfly Park in Sayajibaug was approved for a sum of Rs 6.83 crore, and M/s Satyam Constructions was awarded the contract in November 2014 for his tender worth Rs 6.36 crore. Accordingly, the contractor also commenced work on the site. Currently, the work is in progress to construct the concrete walls that would be the boundary of the Butterfly Park. After the contractor began his work, there were several protests from morning walkers, senior citizens and political leaders in the city who submitted their petitions to the VMC.” The proposal states that a special meeting was called by the Municipal Commissioner on February 25, in which a decision was made to shift the Butterfly park to another location.

“Taking into consideration the situation, a proposal has been made to shift the Butterfly Park from Sayajibaug to Ajwa Garden. The contractor has submitted his willingness to continue with the project at Ajwa Garden. Thus, it is requested that the standing committee may approve this change of location of the Butterfly Park, after completion of the construction of walls in Sayajibaug,” the proposal states.

Vadodara Congress president Narendra Ravat, who was part of the agitation by the Morning Walkers Association, said the VMC must take responsibility for the eventual failure of the concept of a Butterfly Park. Ravat said, “They have already damaged the Kamatibaug garden.

The decision to construct the Butterfly Park there was wrong in the first place and against the interest of the garden. Shifting the project to Ajwa garden is also a flop idea as studies reveal that a Butterfly Park in India is not viable. The project does not even detail how they will conserve and breed butterflies. The BJP is fooling the people of Vadodara in the name of a Butterfly Park. The money should be used for better works.”

The VMC’s move comes after the foundation stone ceremony of the Butterfly Park was laid by Minister Saurabh Patel in November to commence the work, followed by hunger strikes by the Morning walkers and memorandum to the VMC.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
VMC