JOIN USChairs lined on one side to make the guests comfortable, tables sat on the other with a cake placed on it and then there were food items. No, this is not a hotel or restaurant. This scene was at play at Bengaluru’s prominent lung space, the Cubbon Park, where a family organised a birthday party illegally on Sunday morning.
About 20 people had gathered at the Cubbon Park near the Press Club of Bangalore for a birthday party. The group served food, strewing the place with litter. A Cubbon Park guard initially claimed the family had taken permission from the authorities for the party. But when quizzed, he said that he had allowed the family to host the party “just for five minutes”.
Such incidents are not uncommon at the park where there is hardly any monitoring. S Umesh, an advocate and president of Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association, points out that not just birthday parties but even corporate get-togethers were organised at the park.
“People gather here and litter the place, strewing it with leftovers and plastic items. This is in violation of the Karnataka Government Parks Preservation Act,” he claimed. “Hardly any security checks are conducted here though the matter has been brought to the attention of the authorities.”
Mahantesh Murgod, deputy director, Department of Horticulture, said that the issue had not been brought to his notice. “I called the security guards immediately and questioned them about this. We will look into the matter,” he promised.