TEAM HERALD
[email protected]
PORVORIM: A park is expected to attract children, but the Subhash Chandra Bose Children’s Park near the Housing Board market at Alto-Betim is in such a condition that all play equipment is broken and unusable, and the only thing attracted to the site are wild bushes.
The children’s park was built by Penha de Franca Panchayat through the MPLAD fund and was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on October 6, 2001.
However, due to non-maintenance of the park by Penha de France Panchayat, the condition of the park has deteriorated over a period of time. The swings are broken and the slide has developed cracks. Wild bushes have grown all over the park and there has been no maintenance of the park for a long time.
“Gardens and children’s parks add to the beauty of the village and also provide a place for recreation for the children. The panchayat should give more thrust on maintenance of such gardens and children’s parks. If the panchayat is unable to maintain it, then it should seek assistance for social organizations,” said Penha de Franca Convenor Agnel Pereira.
When contacted, a panch admitted that the park has been neglected. “There are three temporary workers on the panchayat roll to look after maintenance of the children park and the gardens and the panchayat is paying them Rs 11,000 every month, but the workers hardly do any work,” said the panch.
