JOIN USThe annual Republic Day flower show that concluded on Sunday at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden drew over two lakh visitors.
The cleanliness quotient, however, was quite high at the gardens, as the Horticulture department had left no stone unturned in efficiently handling the garbage. Over 220 species of colourful flowers and vegetables were on display during the show.
“We took the support of various NGOs to ensure that it is kept tidy,” said Gunavantha, Deputy Director, Horticulture department. The department earned over Rs 1 crore though ticket sales.
A unique attraction at the event was a makeshift stall by the Coconut Development Board of India (CDBI), which had displayed a variety of coconut-based products, including oils, food items and consumer products. Trinkets made from coconut shells drew visitors like a magnet to iron.
“We have made a minimum profit of Rs 10,000 on all 10 days of the show,” said Mohan, chairman of Keretech, whose products were on display under the banner of CDBI. “We have organised similar shows in other metros, but the response in Bangalore has been overwhelming,” he added.
Parking woes
Sunday proved to be a day of chaos for many who had come to enjoy the floral show, as finding a place to park proved to be a Herculean task.
Touts were seen making a quick buck by taking advantage of the situation. The paucity of parking space was perhaps the only flaw in an otherwise spectacular show.
“Parking arrangements are miserable. We were made to park our vehicles in fifth, sixth and seventh levels of Shanthinagar bus depot,” said Dr Vijay Barigidade, a resident of Ramamurthynagar.
Bhargav, another visitor, pointed out that he had to pay a huge sum to park his vehicle.
“I paid Rs 100 just to park my vehicle on the road outside. Considering the large number of visitors, there should be better arrangements next time,” Bhargav added.