Without any public input, the Tamil Nadu State Agriculture Department has unfairly, unnecessarily, and undemocratically restricted access to the Ooty (Government) Botanical Gardens, by imposing a yearly fee for morning walkers.

This is just one more step in the imposition of permanent restrictions on the public's access to public lands.

Unless opposed by the public and our elected representatives, this system will create second-class citizenship for tax paying Ooty residents and deprive them of the use of natural places which were originally set aside for the benefit and enjoyment of the locals. 

It will also discriminate based on economic status, making it harder for the poor to enjoy the gardens.

Just like transport and sewage systems, public parks also fall under the category of essential public services. 

Public health is affected by the presence of parks and safe green spaces, particularly in how it can encourage active and healthy behaviours. They can positively affect the health and wellbeing of our citizens. 

The Ooty Botanical Garden is not simply a pleasant amenity or tourist attraction, but serves as a foundation to the social, economic, environmental, and mental health of our community. By ensuring that every resident in Ooty has access to the Botanical Gardens, we can fundamentally and positively impact the quality of life for thousands of citizens.

If you love the Ooty Botanical Gardens and believe that they should be open and free places of refuge, you must ask the Tamil Nadu State Department of Agriculture to immediately suspend plans for a yearly fee for morning walkers.

To keep Ooty Government Botanical Gardens open to the public (and not just for the privileged) we the undersigned ask that:

A public commitment be made in writing, by the Department of Horticulture that all future decisions on public access to public lands will be made transparently and democratically,  in balance with conservation and preservation goals, so that generations to come can enjoy the Gardens without discrimination or reservation.  

#KeepPublicLandsOpen #ParksforthePeopleNotThePrivileged