Aquamarine Park that would be coming up in large area and will have massive tanks with fishes, reptiles etc that will be brought in to be displayed. The park will use 3 million litres of water, and endanger aqualife – What about environment
It is supposed to be India’s largest tunnel aquarium – the Aqua Marine Park that would be coming up over 2,50,000 sq.ft built up area in the Kothwalguda Eco Park which is spread over 4.27 acres. On book this looks like an exciting project developing in Hyderabad – the curved tunnel atleast 100 metres with a 3.5 metre walkway and a 189-degree view and tunnels with wide variety of aquamarine species like fish, reptiles etc in the aquarium. It has been one ambitious project that will include a restaurant with a view of the aquarium exhibits, panels displays, dome theatre, 7-D theatre, virtual aquarium, touch tanks, koi feedings and interactive kiosks for kids.
The tunnel aquarium will have water volume of atleast 3 million litres with 2 million needed to fil the tunnel tank alone. Over 300 species and 10000 animals and retiles that were going to be housed in the multiple tunnels.
HMDA has called for bids from across the world for the park that would be set under DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer). Last date for submission of bids is June 21.
However, a petition was filed by environmentalists including actors, Sri Divya and Renu Desai and director Sashikiran Tikka against building the proposed aqua marine park at Kothwalguda on the outskirts of Hyderabad
The petition said the artificial pond would pose a threat to the survival of marine fauna and would damage the natural ecosystem.
That brings us to the question – has the HMDA made an environmental impact assessment before taking up the project – No, say the environment activists Sri Divya, Renu Desai and Sashi Kiran Tikka. They say this project gravely endangers environment.
They filed a Public Interest Litigation asking for halting the work on the Aquamarine Park. When the case came up for hearing the court questioned on why a park of the magnitude could exist in countries like Singapore and Malaysia – why not in India. The petitioners’ lawyer Sriramya pointed out how this project was done without assessing the damage on environment and the fishes and wildlife.
Sashi Kiran Tikka pointed out how this project will endanger the aqua life even during the transit and while they are under artificial lighting if kept away from their natural habitat in the aquarium, and considering the scale it is dangerous to the natural ecosystem, not to mention the burden of filling the tanks with massive amount of water in a city which has the problem of water scarcity. He suggested that HMDA must instead build parks that raise awareness.
