Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10: The city is relentlessly pushing towards Nandankanan, the famous zoological park carved out of a wildlife sanctuary in its backyard.

The construction spree close to the zoo, a major tourist draw, has triggered concern about the health of the animals in captivity, which are extremely sensitive to environmental changes. Green activists feel that the heat generated by the concrete jungle coming up close to Nandankanan might impact the behaviour of the animals.

This is not the first time that environmentalists have voiced such concerns. It was following their sustained campaign that the state government took the first tentative steps towards restricting construction activity in the area sometime ago. The forest and environment department had sought the intervention of the urban development department in the matter.

Sources said that the first step was to ensure that no construction was allowed within one kilometre radius of the park that is one of the biggest zoos in the country where wild animals can be seen almost in their natural surroundings. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority was supposed to ensure this.

Sources said that despite this move of the administration, builders were inching close to the park every day. “There may be no skyscrapers in its immediate vicinity today, but the way land is being sold in the area, the day is not far off when the place will be bustling with high rises,” said a wildlife, activist pointing to the fact that a construction spree was visible along the road leading from Patia to Nandankanan.

Real estate agents, too, admit that land costs along this stretch are soaring and building activity is likely to intensify sooner rather than later. “Already, some major projects are coming up in Raghunathpur. We expect more further up. The way things are moving, Nandankanan may not be far off as far as big time construction is concerned,” said one of them.

Officials at the same time reiterate their commitment to protecting the natural environment of Nandankanan, which was carved out of the Chandaka-Damphara wildlife sanctuary, making it one of the most natural zoos in the country. “We acknowledge the concern of environmentalists and we are taking steps to ensure there is no construction within one kilometre radius of the zoo. We remain committed to protecting the zoo,” said a senior official. Green activists and wildlife lovers, however, are not all that sure.