SRIKAKULAM: Apathy and negligence from the civic authorities make the local parks a hub for anti-social activities in Srikakulam town. As many as seven local parks wear an ugly look with no facilities, crying for attention.
Gandhi Park at the Seven Roads Junction, Diamond Park at the New Colony, River View Park near the old bridge, most popular ones, do not even have basic facilities. With no lights in the Nagavali River View Park, anti-social activities thrive. Though the gates of the park are seen mostly closed, it is said that people enter from the river side. According to the locals, there used to be three watchmen guarding the park in the past but there is no watchman now, leading to such activities.
Gandhi Park and Diamond Park do not provide any facilities to the children as all the equipment is almost damaged or rusted. The fountain in the Gandhi Park, which was a beautiful sight in the past, is now broken down.
“The parks in the town are becoming beehives of anti-social activities. With no security and proper lighting, families think twice before going to the park. Many programmes used to be conducted at the Nagavali River View Park during weekends, but now they have become a thing of the past and only the local NGOs conduct some programmes now and then,” said S Ramana, a resident.
The conditions of Kargil Victory Park in APHB Colony, Indira Park in Gunapalem, parks in Hadco Colony, Baratam Street and LBS Park are no different. Vijaya Adithya Park is one which requires immediate attention from the officials. When the park was under the Tourism department, it attracted locals with boat ride, play equipments and canteen. But after the Tourism department handed it over to the municipality, the park is now dilapidated with damaged boats while creepers filled the pond, and play equipment had gone to rust. Though the locals have been complaining about them for the last three years, nothing has happened so far.
On the issue, municipal commissioner Srinivas said that due to financial crisis, they have been not able to provide facilities in the parks. “Officials from AP Urban Green belt have conducted a survey on the Gandhi Park, Santhinagar Park, Kargil Victory Park and estimated that `10 crore was needed for their renovation and the rest of the parks will be also renovated soon after the release of funds,” said Srinivas. He also said that the Vijaya Adithya Park now comes under the civic authorities, and would be developed on par with other parks.