‘Aravallis need conservation, not zoo safari’: 37 ex-forest officials write to PM Modi

The primary purpose of any intervention in the eco-sensitive Aravalli region must be “conservation and restoration” rather than the destruction that a zoo safari would bring, 37 retired forest officials have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a letter opposing a proposed 10,000-acre nature park in Haryana.

The letter, sent on February 6, called for urgent and comprehensive conservation strategies to protect the Aravalli mountain range, which stretches from Delhi through Haryana and Rajasthan to Gujarat.

In April 2022, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Haryana announced the Aravalli Safari Park in the state’s Gurugram and Nuh districts.

The project would feature ten zones, including enclosures for reptiles, birds, exotic animals and big cats such as tigers, lions, panthers and cheetahs, the then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said in October 2022.

Environmentalists have questioned both the legality and ecological impact of the park, warning that it would take over land belonging to locals and introduce non-native species into the region.

The retired forest officials, including former principal chief conservators of forests and Indian Forest Service officers, said in their letter that the Aravallis have already suffered extensive destruction due to mining, real estate development and deforestation.

“A zoo or a safari is often considered not essential for wildlife conservation because while they can play…

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