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`Ruin of the oldest park' in Nagercoil deplored

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGERCOIL, DEC. 19. The Conservation of Nature Trust here has opposed the `wanton destruction' of one of the oldest parks in the State, Sir.C.P. Ramasamy Iyer Park, in Nagercoil.

Speaking to The Hindu , the chairman of the Trust, R.S. Lal Mohan said the government had spent Rs. 60 lakhs to give a face-lift to this park. However in 2003, despite a stiff opposition, this notified park was handed over to a private party, for an annual maintenance charge of Rs. 23,000. The contractor had installed many electronic gadgets, besides establishing a restaurant and even a car-parking facility inside the park.

These activities were illegal as per the Parks Protection Act, 1959. The contractor had not even obtained permission from the municipal council for operating the play equipment and collecting Rs.10 per head for entry. The gate collections were not shared with the municipality even though the contractor had been using a government land. An attempt was also made to separate the park and the library forgetting that both form a single unit. The municipal authority did this in order `to facilitate the contractor to have a complete monopoly over the park'.

Now the people have to get a `permission card' from the contractor to visit the public library. The municipality has sanctioned Rs. 2 lakhs for laying a separate road for the library from the Cape Road, frittering away public money. "When there is a wide entrance to the park, is it necessary to lay a new road," said Lal Mohan.

Moreover a resolution of the municipality in this regard (No. 2/2002/2004) passed at an emergency council meeting dated 23.7.2003 was challenged in the court by one of the councillors as she was not invited to the meeting. Though the matter was sub-judice, the municipal authority had decided to spend Rs. 2 lakhs for laying the road. All these actions were against the Park Protection Act, 1959, as no government permission was obtained for laying the road and parking facility within the park itself. The play equipment (diesel locomotive) introduced by the contractor would spoil the serene atmosphere of the park. The municipal authority should not allow such deplorable activities inside the park, said Lal Mohan.

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