The Hindu 23.11.2009
After laying the foundation, municipality turns a blind eye towards park
Karthik Madhavan
PHOTO: M. GOVARTHAN 
Picture of neglect: Kollampalayam park in Kasipalayam municipality limits has not seen much progress since June last year.
ERODE: Foundation for a new park in Kollampalayam, says the tablet outside a plot with compound on the Kollampalayam Road.
It also says the then State Minister for Handlooms and Textiles N.K.K.P. Raja laid the foundation on June 8, 2008 for the facility, which comes under Wards 8 and 9 of Kasipalayam Municipality.
It has been almost a year-and-half since the foundation was laid and in the period nothing much has happened in that the Municipality is yet to develop the park.
All that is there on the piece of land, about 40 cents, are a half-constructed pathway, a few play materials and dismantled gate, which is rusting.
Stagnant rain water in a tank and half-covered well are also to be seen there. The compound serves as a cloth drying facility for people of the locality. There is no greenery or anything that bears semblance to a park. But for the tablet on the compound, there is nothing to declare the area a park.
Residents of the area say they expected the Kasipalayam Municipality to develop the plot as a park once it laid the foundation but nothing much has happened.
They also say that with the foundation nothing much as changed as the area continues to be the way it was prior to the foundation laying ceremony as well.
Ward 9 Councillor Amutha Sakthivel says the civic body did make a beginning but could not proceed because of shortage of funds and rain.
Initially the Council approved development works Rs. 2.5 lakh but they got delayed for various reasons that include rain. The Council has again sanctioned Rs. 4 lakh for completing the park, she says and clarifies that as the park is under development the gate has been removed and the land is undulated.
Chairman M. Subramanian says the civic body proposes to set up fountain, green cover the area, install lights and more play materials for the children.
Pathway around the plot will also be laid and he promises that the works will get over in three months time.
