Panjim could be called a city of gardens. The city has a number of green lungs which serve the crucial function of creating breathing spaces for the city. Garcia de Orta or municipal garden near the church, the Ambedkar garden near the bus stand, the Bhagwan Mahaveer or Children’s Park, the Mermaid garden, the Francisco Luis Gomes garden at Campal in the heritage zone, the Jogger’s Park at Altinho, the Children’s Park at Caranzalem are a few of the gardens which help kids and adults to relax.
Though a lot of public money has been spent to construct these gardens, the maintenance of most of these gardens leaves a lot to be desired.
Two of these gardens are looked after by the Forest Department, while the Corporation of the City of Panjim looks after the others.
According to the CCP, they are having a problem in maintaining these gardens because of the paucity of funds and are trying to find ways and means to sort out this problem, even as they admit that maintenance is a problem for them. The CCP has some 25 labourers that look after the trimming of the lawns. That is fine but residents complain that the other infrastructure that has been put into the garden is the main problem.
At Caranzalem, there are huge lights inside. But all the fittings are broken or missing. And the fancy architecture’s paint has faces and pipes are rusty.
Another major issue even in relatively better maintained gardens like the Ambedkar garden is that most of them face the problem of vandalism and have become dens of vice. Also toilets are a problem in some – they only work in fits and starts.
Some have security and others don’t – but these gardens after a certain hour are places where no decent person dare enter.
