A few Bangaloreans along with some members of the Walkers Association have come forward to make Cubbon Park, a plastic free verdant garden. Initiated by S Umesh, President of Walkers Association, a few celebrities including Captain Gopinath and Kannada actress Bhavana took part in the programme and spruced up the park of plastic material and other dry waste strewn near the Bal Bhavan area from 7 am to 9 am on Monday.
Along with them, there were 80 other people who resolved to keep the park clean.
Speaking to City Express, S Umesh said, “Of late, we have been seeing more of waste than greenery in the park. We witness lot of food vendors in and around the area who dump bottles, plastic cups, bags and other waste material inside the park and nobody is there to clean up the mess. The waste dump will almost fill up half a lorry if collected everyday.”
According to Umesh, the Horticultural department is taking steps to keep the park clean but their hands are really tied with the presence of very few workers.
“Out of 160 workers appointed to keep the park clean, 80 of them are seen working at Ministers’ houses. And out of the remaining 80, only 30 turn up for work. How much work can these people do in the 100 acres of the park?" he questioned.
The Walkers’ Association President who has been walking in Cubbon Park from 5 am to 8 am everyday for a long time now also brings to our notice the security lapses in Cubbon park.
“The tender for security management has been cancelled from last May 25 and since then, there are no security guards in the park. This will further result in more illegal activities in the park. This has also given rise to the gathering of homosexuals at the park in huge numbers during night times. Though the police is aware of this, they pretend complete ignorance. The park used to open between 8 am to 11 pm but we now see it open through out the night and is only closed between 5 am to 8 am,” he reveals.
The Walkers Association is in touch with K G Jagadish, director, Horticultural department. Said Umesh of WA, “He has been very supportive. Yet, somehow, I feel he is unable to act. We will soon be meeting the new Horticulture Minister, Home Minister and police commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji, and request them to take stringent measures like installing CCTV cameras and ensuring better security systems inside the park during night times."
The plastic-free campaign will now be a weekly affair. “People want us to conduct more such programmes. Irrespective of participation, we will, now onwards, clean the park every Monday. Apart from this, we will also be reaching out to NSS volunteers of various colleges to participate in the programme," Umesh added.