All the parks of Chennai Corporation will soon get to benefit from the experience of horticulturists. The civic body will use the service of private horticulturists who will apply their knowledge, skills and technologies to grow plants suitable for civic conditions in the neighbourhood. Their work would involve plant propagation and cultivation with the aim of improving plant growth, resistance to insects and environmental stress.
My Lady’s Park in ward 58, Sivan Park in ward 131, Doveton Park in ward 58 and Thirumalai Park in ward 58 are among those that will be maintained privately by horticulturists shortly. While some parks are already maintained by private agencies, there has not been much intervention by horticulturists. The new initiative involves yearly maintenance work by private horticulturists of all parks in the city. The civic body will spend Rs.9.95 lakh for maintenance work of My Lady’s Park by a private horticulturist for a year.
“The maintenance of existing parks is not adequate. Most of the parks are taken care of by sanitary workers, who do not have adequate knowledge of maintaining flowering plants and trees. We are waiting for private maintenance under the guidance of horticulturists. One of the new parks in Akshaya Colony requires such tending,” said V. Alexander, councillor of ward 89.
“A large number of morning walkers from Anna Nagar West Extension and Nolambur visit the Mangal Eri Park in Mogappair. Residents are waiting for some more work on deepening of the water body and landscaping of the park,” said K. Neelakandan, councillor of the ward.
Residents have also stressed the need for the protection of trees in a scientific way. Pruning of trees and plants are being carried out by Corporation workers without professional guidance.
The Chennai Corporation recently decided to plant native trees in all of its 324 parks. The civic body has also roped in various NGOs involved in environmental work, to chalk out the details of the project.
A sensitisation programme for all Corporation officials on the necessity of preserving local species of trees and shrubs has also been organised to prevent tree abuse.
The horticulturists are also expected to raise nurseries of local trees and shrubs in all such parks with the involvement of the local community. Last year, the civic body carried out landscape development in 100 new parks in the recently-added areas. Maintenance of many such parks continues to be a challenge.
