The park that was almost lying dead due to lack of maintenance, was cleaned and revived through a ‘shramadan’ by NSS volunteers in association with the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC).
About 450 students from seven undergraduate colleges affiliated to Mangalore University, namely, Besant Women’s College, Besant Evening College, Gokarnanatheshwara College, Car Street Government First Grade College, Canara College and University College, cleaned up the park by removing the weeds, grass and haphazardly grown bushes. For the students bubbling with energy, reviving the 3 acre area was not at all a big task.
“It is a thrilling experience. It’s wonderful. I get bored to work in my home; but when it comes to working with my friends, I get excited,” said Priyanka, a volunteer from Canara College.
Hariyappa Pejavara, the NSS Programme Officer of Gokarnanatheshwara College, said the NSS feels proud to work for the park for it helps hundreds of senior citizens to spend their leisurely hours in the evening. He added that the NSS volunteers may venture into filling the potholes on the roads in the coming days.
Total revival
MCC Commissioner Dr K N Vijayprakash said the City Corporation has plans for the total revival of the Radio Gudde park by re-installing all the necessary facilities including a radio pavilion.
The park was a popular destination of locals when it was maintained well during the time of the then Deputy Commissioner S K Das (1980-83). However, it got neglected in the later years.
The radio pavilion is defunct now. The park got shrunken further in terms of area due to encroachments. A delegation of senior citizens had complained to the DC recently. Deccan Herald had published a report in this connection on August 29, 2009.
Vijayprakash said the MCC is looking for sponsorors to revive the park totally. “The Corporation intends good maintenance of all parks in the city. It has been made specific that the space for parks should be reserved even in the extended parts of the city,” he informed.
Prior to this, Mayor M Shanker Bhat inaugurated the shramadan by removing the weeds at the park. Mangalore University NSS Coordinator Dr Gananatha Ekkar among others were present.
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