Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Parks losing their identities Madurai Matters

K. Sakthivel, Superintending Engineer: Even if the Corporation invests, it needs the support of the locals for maintenance.

— Photo: K. Ganesan

Ill-maintained: The park close to the Lotus Tank near Pudur.

Mumtaz, a resident: It would be a great place for children, who find no place to play except the road.

MADURAI: At a time when the world is seriously speaking about going green and environmentalists debating over global warming and climatic change, the green patches, usually parks, are slowly losing their identity in the concrete jungle.

While the city is growing at a greater pace, many people are forced to live in nuclear families and in houses with poor ventilation. For them, the parks are sure to provide the much needed ventilation besides helping them to enjoy a gala time in the so called entertainment-starved Temple City besides acting as a breathing space for the city.

“In total there are 76 parks in the city. There are many more even, but they certainly cannot be located as they are without the name board,” says Jeyasingh Gnanadurai, an environment lover, who had taken a survey about the city parks in 2005.

The Vaigai River divides the city into two parts – North and South. In the northern part there are 45 parks and 31 parks in the southern bank. The oldest park in the city is the Rajaji Children’s Park that was earlier known as The Madura People’s Park in a sprawling 4.5 acres of land. The fountain, which is in good condition, at the entrance has a plaque with information that it was donated by P. Koteisamitevar, sub-division zemindar, Ramnad in 1885. The only park next to Eco Park that was thronged by people and children is the Rajaji Park, which would be too crowded especially during weekends and holidays.

“The Science Park established in 1998 on the premises of Rajaji Park is left in the lurch. The park that is supposed to teach science facts and laws remain uncared and I am sure not many are unaware of its presence,” Mr. Jeyasingh vouches.

Of all the parks, only six are serving their purposes as they are being maintained, Mr. Jeyasingh said. The six parks are Rajaji Park that is given on lease to private people and Eco Park maintained by the Corporation while Vivekananada Nagar Park, Singarayar Colony Park, Viswanathapuram Park and George Joseph Park at Keezhmadurai are being maintained by respective resident welfare associations to some extent.

The space allotted for parks can be either identified by the presence of the name board or with the presence of broken play equipment. Some of the park space has been converted into some offices, temples and encroached upon by the locals. So many parks that have a mention in the annual report of the Corporation in 1971-1972 have become defunct, he says.

The Ratnasamy Nadar Park at Chokkikulam, Krishnapuram Colony Park –II and AR Park have been occupied by noon-meal centres building while Aattu Manthai Pottal Park, Gnanaolivupuram Park are abundant with encroachments and Padmasini Park with shops.

The Vandiyoor Park is ill-maintained following a tiff between the Corporation and Public Works Department, Mr. Jeyasingh says and adds that the Corporation has established an exclusive park for women at Obulapadithurai which was converted into godown and no a private school.

Confirms Mumtaz of Harisma Mosque Lane. The 65-year-old woman says that she had seen the park that was full of neem tress and maintained by a woman Muniamma. “If it was there, it would have been a great place for children, who find no place to play except for the road,” she says.

On the contrary, the Superintending Engineer, K. Sakthivel, said that last year the Corporation had identified only 55 parks and playfields of which only 50 per cent of places are being maintained.

He said that people give the place as a reserved site and the Corporation has to invest money in establishing the parks.

“Even if the Corporation invests, it needs the support of the locals for maintaining them which is not easy to get.”

Last year, the Corporation sent a proposal for Rs.2.4 crore to the Government for developing 29 parks. Apart from that, Corporation fund to the tune of Rs.2.3 crore would be used for the same purpose, Mr. Sakthivel said.

When enquired about the noon-meal buildings on the park premises, Mr. Sakthivel said that it might belong to the period of 1974 to 1975. He said that as per a Government Order released few years back, parks spaces should not be reclassified for any other purposes.

“We are retaining them as vacant site even with out proper maintenance,” Mr. Sakthivel noted.

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