BENGALURU: At a time when Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanahara Palike (BBMP) is finding it difficult to maintain the existing parks and lung spaces in the city, here is a park in Yelahanka that is completely maintained by the locals, especially senior citizens.
Residents near Kuvempu Park take great pride in their work. Starting October 2, these residents began putting together the names and details of each tree species in this five acre park. There are around 300 trees of 65 species here. The activities are a group of senior citizens comprising of retired forest officers, politicians and locals. The group has become an inspiration for people to take up similar works in 15 other parks in Yelahanka.
Retired forest officer B Jayaram, a resident, said they came across the idea to put up the names of the tree species when they realised that children could not identify jackfruit and jamoon trees. “Children visit the park with their parents every day and they even eat the fruits from the trees, but they did not know which is a jackfruit tree. So this initiative was started to increase awareness among youngsters,” he said.
No funds have been taken from the BBMP for this initiative. Even the boards for the trees are funded by the locals. The residents here are miffed with the civic body. “We made repeated requests to the BBMP and the corporators to maintain the park and repair the damaged walking spaces. But it all fell on deaf ears. So while the physical maintenance is yet to be taken up by the BBMP, we have improved the greenery of the park,” another resident said.
Former Devanahalli MLA Pillamunishamappa, who is also a resident, said, “We have been using this park for the last 12 years. So we are making all efforts to keep the space green and clean.”
BBMP officials, on the other hand, say they were not informed about the sad state of the park and they even added that the residents had not sought their permission for the works. The officials said they will inspect the park.