Anush Pandith

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 27: Park is the place where nature is preserved for people. Children like parks during leisure time and elderly prefer them as the best place for walks during the evening to keep them physically fit.

Mangaluru has many parks such as Kadri Park, Tagore Park, and Mannagudda Park among others. Maintaining them has always been an issue in the city. Here, one cannot find parks which are well maintained except one at Pilikula.

The park at Valencia is one of the major parks in the city which is spacious enough, with children’s play area. One could notice children and elderly of nearby places visiting the park to spend their leisure time.

Now, things have completely changed. The park is no more filled with people or children, as it has become very dry due to lack of maintenance.

A few months ago, road widening work started from Kankanady to Jeppu for which several trees were axed on this stretch. Even the existing bus stand was demolished. Since then, the park here has lost its look.

The condition of the park is very pathetic. There are no facilities for children like before. Children cannot even use the play area, as the swings are all rusted and broken. The ground at the park has become a dump, patchy with muck water all over. The lights at the park are not working.

There is one huge water pool at the centre of the park. The water in it has turned black and dirty. During the evening, this pool turns into a mosquito breeding centre. Even the fountain in the park is not functioning. The iron mesh of the compound has been broken and put aside in the park.

A growing city like Mangaluru needs beautiful parks for the balance of nature and mankind. Today, Mangaluru is called future ‘Smart City’ and it must maintain its parks here.

Joseph, a resident of Valencia, said, "I am residing in Valencia from several years and have been visiting this park for walk in the evenings. This place was full of greenery with trees on either side of the road. But in the name of road widening, trees were axed. Now I cannot visit the park as it is not maintained and looks very pathetic. The debris of road construction work are dumped in the park and water is logged everywhere in the park which breeds mosquitoes. In the evening, it is impossible to walk due to mosquitoes. Mangaluru City Corporation should take an initiative to maintain this park and make it like before,”

Corporator of Valencia ward, Jacintha Alfred, said, "Rs 10 lac has been allotted for the development of this park in the budget. Due to recent elections, the development work was postponed. After the completion of road widening work, this park will be completely developed,”