Not long ago, the City used to be known for its well maintained parks and lakes. But now, take a stroll around the parks and you will surely notice the huge piles of garbage dumped along their periphery. This is not a very palatable sight as it spoils the beauty of these places. Says Sunil Raj, “We come to these places to relax but when we see the dump strewn outside the park premises, it repels most of us and we do not feel like coming back.”

Kumar, a professional, also has a grouse about the way the areas outside these places are maintained. Though he doesn’t frequent these parks, he has noticed heaps of garbage lining up the walls outside. He says, “It is always the same. The smell of drainage and decay greets you every time you pass these parks.” But he adds, “Even we citizens should take care not to throw wrappers and plastic around.”

 But without enough bins provided for this purpose, where are the people supposed to throw the waste? Says Avinash, a management associate, “These places are swarming with people as there are so many stalls and eateries outside. There should be a plastic dumpster kept outside each of the park exits. Right now, there is not a single dustbin where we can throw the trash.” Even Sunil agrees, “The facilities, that are there at present, are not enough and more needs to be done to keep the surroundings clean.”
Time and again, people have appealed to the authorities about this menace but has anything been done about it? Says Dexter, an entrepreneur, “This is the sad state of affairs. In some places, such changes have been incorporated but a lot needs to be done still.”

When asked what the BBMP is doing in this regard, a spokesperson says, “The maintenance work of these parks around the City is entrusted with the Zonal Commissioner and the concerned engineers. And they are doing all that is necessary. As far as the lakes are concerned, we have sent proposals out to the corporates to take up maintenance work.” 

This step, taken by the BBMP to get the corporate entities involved in this work, is a smart move according to most people. Says Apoorva, a student, “We should all just stop playing the blame game. Since the BBMP is not doing enough for the welfare of the City, we have to find different ways to do so. And more and more corporates should come forward and take an initiative to maintain these places.”