KOCHI: Subash Bose Park, sandwiched between Park Avenue and the backwaters, is reputed to be the most scenic public green space in Kochi. However, of late, its reputation has taken a hit.
For nearly eight months, a heap of waste and debris has been lying unattended within the park premises, covered only with a flimsy green sheet. Visitors, especially those coming with children, are upset by this gross negligence on the part of the officials.
“It’s a disturbing sight to see such garbage piled up in a park,” said C J Thomas, a resident who frequents the park for his walks.
Another visitor, Vasundara, told TNIE that she has specifically asked her daughter not to go to that end, for the heap has also raised safety concerns.
“We are worried about snakes. The past few days, there have been numerous reports of snakebite deaths. Several people have lost their lives. Garbage lying unattended like this could potentially become a habitat for snakes and rodents.”
The concern comes at a time when reports of snakes entering cooler, shaded areas to escape the intense summer heat are on the rise across the state.
The conditions at the park, visitors said, make it an ideal spot for such reptiles, increasing the risk of straying onto areas where children play.
And with the summer holidays on, a lot of children are frequenting the park during evening hours, Vasundhara said, adding, “The officials should act fast.”
Even as it is, snake sightings are common in the park, regular park-goers said.
“This garbage heap, which has already attracted a lot of rodents, will invariably bring snakes too,” Thomas chipped in, just as a giant rat scooted away from beneath a trash bag.
“With so many children playing here every evening, it’s worrying,” he added.
As to how the garbage came to be piled up here, another visitor has a plausible theory.
“This heap has been here for the past eight months and that timeline coincides with an inauguration that was done here by Public Works and Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas. The garbage is likely from that event and whatever was accumulated from the park surroundings since,” he said.
Jayarajan, another visitor who had come with his family, had a pertinent point to make: “If such a mess can go unnoticed in Subash Park, it raises questions about waste management practices elsewhere in the city.”