The Hindu                10.07.2013

Good response to Corporation’s proposal on park maintenance

Non government organisations, residents’ welfare
organisations, corporate companies and residents who want to develop or
maintain parks in the city may approach the Coimbatore Corporation in
the next few days, Mayor S.M. Velusamy has said.

The Corporation would provide compound, wherever necessary, and water connection for taking up maintenance.

First step

As a first step, the Corporation had decided to invite public participation for 165 parks in the old 60 wards.

The Corporation had 1,500 sites reserved for parks.

The
Mayor made the announcement at a meeting the civic body had organised
on Tuesday at the Collectorate to invite public participation in the
upkeep of parks and development of reserve sites into parks.

He
said that at the time of giving his, her or its commitment to develop
and maintain parks, the individual or organisation concerned should
state how it would help.

But the individual or
organisation should remember that the park would be open for public and
that he or she or it would have no control in regulating people.

Mr. Velusamy said that this was part of the Corporation’s efforts in greening the city.

Collector
M. Karunagaran, who presided over the meeting, said that there was an
urgent need to maintain the parks because the places earmarked for the
same were either under encroachment or were being misused.

The
district administration would stand by the Corporation in this
endeavour and if the public had any doubts they could still approach the
administration.

Commissioner G. Latha said that
people could either volunteer physical work or come forward to take up
development and maintenance of parks.

The Corporation had developed two models for park development in consultation with architects.

Those interested could adopt the same or go in for a better design.

Saplings

The Corporation after preparing a list of parks that required maintenance had estimated that the city needed 9,000 saplings.

Vanitha
Mohan of Siruthuli said that the after the cleaning up of Big Tank with
public participation, a number of people were ready to contribute their
mite for the city’s development and that such people would volunteer to
support the Corporation.

Many residents shared their experience and promised to approach the Corporation in the next few days.

C.R.
Swaminathan of Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore, Deputy
Commissioner S. Sivarasu and others participated in the function.