Kanakakunnu palace with its vast grounds set on a hill is a heritage site in Trivandrum. Currently parts of the ground are being dug up at the initiative of the Tourism Department of the Kerala Government by the Uralungal Society to create a 'night life' project. They have

• Used JCBs to dig trenches under old and young trees into which they are inserting cables and then pouring cement.
• Using JCBs to dig up parts of the ground and inserting piling to build food courts, stages and other unnecessary structures. These already exist in the grounds

It is unclear who this night life is intended for - but it is to the detriment of

• the trees and plants in the gardens
• the birds, animals, butterflies and insects which abound here especially those like bats, owls, reptiles, rats and the like which have a night life of their own
• the regular users of the park who are walkers, people who tend to trees there, people who like to spend a quiet day there and so on.
• the people who use the road in front of it as this will add to traffic congestion

If it is the young crowd that is being targeted, we urge the government to

halt this project immediately in Kanakakunnu grounds and move it closer to Technopark or Technocity where most of them reside.

This city has very few parks, please create more and stop using green spaces to run your programs and as a parking space. People need open areas for living a healthy life.