Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

A children's park steeped in neglect

Staff Reporter

Municipality blamed for pathetic situation

SAD story: The damaged fountains and illumination system at the children's park in Thiruvalla town.

PATHANAMTHITTA: The children's park in Thiruvalla, which was set up nine years ago, lies in a neglected state allegedly owing to the poor upkeep by the authorities concerned.

The park in this Central Travancore town has already become a haven for snakes and other reptiles. At times, anti-social elements and nomadic people also make it a halting place.

The park situated in a prime location near the Municipal Stadium along the Pushpagiri Medical College Road was opened on December 18, 1995.

It was the Thiruvalla municipality that had facilitated the land for the park which was set up by the District Tourism Promotion Council chaired by the District Collector. A committee chaired by the Thiruvalla Revenue Divisional Officer had been running the park fairly well with the help of the DTPC till 2002.

Rs. 10 lakhs

The DTPC secretary, Varghese Punnen, said that the park was developed at a total cost of Rs 10 lakhs in 1995.

Meanwhile, the municipality had sought the handing over of the park to it in a letter to the RDO on August 21, 2001. The DTPC records show that the civic body took control of the park on April 5, 2002.

Most people stopped frequented the park after it was taken over by the civic body. They cited the poor security at the park over the past three years.

Talking to The Hindu , the former municipal chairman, Cherian Polachirackal, who had initiated the handing over one acre land along the Pushpagiri Road to the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) for setting up the park has squarely blamed the civic body for the present sad state of affairs with it.

The children's park turned out to be a big hit in the late 1990s with people from the surrounding rural areas too began to make it their outing destination in the evenings.

The illuminated fountain rings, merry-go-round, see-saws, swings, etc, had been an attraction for the local children. The park also housed a roller-skating track which has now been covered with wild grass and creepers. A cafeteria with ice-cream parlour was another attraction at the children's park.

The municipal councillor, Rony Oommen, has alleged that the bad shape of the park amply showed the civic body's incompetence to run the park which had once been a well-maintained one by the DTPC.

The fountains and the illumination system at the park were damaged in the floods. Toys and other accessories have rusted, leaving the place a junkyard.

Meanwhile, the municipal chairman, Koshy Thomas, told The Hindu that the civic body could not maintain the park due to paucity of funds.

He also said that the municipality has decided to lease out the park to private agencies through auction in the near future.

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