Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday reiterated that animals in the Thiruvananthapuram zoo should be shifted to a habitat suited to them.

Addressing mediapersons after a meeting of the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said he had proposed relocation of the Thiruvananthapuram zoo at the ‘Reimagining Keralam’ roundtable conference because keeping animals in the heart of the city was cruelty to them.

The space vacated would be transformed into one that the city would be proud of. It was not for sale to anyone, the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, protests against the relocation plan continued with the Kerala NGO Union staging an event at the zoo on Wednesday evening.

The protest was inaugurated by actor and Left fellow traveller P. Sreekumar. Recalling his association with the zoo and museum complex from his childhood days to his morning walks and shoots, Mr. Sreekumar said it was the green lung of the city. The 55-acre plot included invaluable flora and fauna. It was a cultural hub and a meeting place for many, including the old and the infirm. “The relocation plan soon after the UDF came to power is a bid to make away with the resources here,” he said.

Mr. Sreekumar argued that not even 10% of those who visited the zoo now would turn up if it were to be shifted elsewhere. He also urged city residents to pledge to protect the zoo in the heart of the city.

Former Mayor V.K. Prasanth said the 167-year-old zoo was an integral part of the city’s culture and heritage. Recalling its evolution from the time it was set up in 1859 to the current times, he said there was no harm in creating a space such as Madison Square, commercial complex, or a mall but in a space that had land for these. What the Chief Minister said was a ‘dream’ was termed a decision by the Health Minister only a couple of days later, he said.

As many as 14 lakh people visited the zoo every year, primarily because of its easy access to people coming to the city for various needs. “The complex is a rare space in the world that has not only a zoo but also museums and art galleries. No one will be allowed to disrupt this space,” Mr. Prasanth said.

“No one is opposing construction of a zoo elsewhere in the district or the development that will ensue. What we seek is that the zoo be left untouched here,” Mr. Prasanth said.

Zoo employees participated in the protest.