KOCHI: Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Park and other affiliated institutions near Marine Drive were handed over to the State Child Welfare Committee (CWC) as per a High Court order on Saturday.
The park was illegally occupied by an Ernakulam-based independent organisation, claiming to be the CWC, for around 25 years. The CWC approached the HC as the organisation was mismanaging the huge income generated from the facility. “We demanded to hand over the administration of the park to the District CWC. Though the government had renovated the park, several areas are currently lying uninhabited due to a lack of proper maintenance,” said State CWC general secretary G L Arun Gopi.
The day-to-day administration of the children’s park, theatre and other facilities has now been handed over to the Ernakulam District CWC. Former Ernakulam district collector N S K Umesh issued an order on the same on July 23 based on the interim order of the High Court and the legal advice of the advocate general.
The facility was handed over to the district committee in the presence of State Administrative Committee member Adv Yesudas Parappally, District CWC secretary Adv Sunil Hareendran, vice-president Adv K S Arun Kumar and others.
Meanwhile, Arun made allegations of financial fraud. “We have evidence showing that the independent organisation has been committing financial fraud under the guise of maintaining the children’s park for years. An investigation is under way,” said Arun, adding that the children’s theatre and childcare centre attached to the children’s park will be operational within a month.