Of the total 738 parks in the city, only 324 have been handed over to the park management committees(PMCs), while the rest are being 'maintained' by the MC. Not many PMCs are also keen to take up the maintenance of the rest of the parks because most of them need civil works including making of boundary walls, proper water connection, footpath construction or garbage clearance. These civil works should be carried out by the MC, only then PMCs can think of maintaining these parks.

Moreover, the allotment of parks is a lengthy process. At the moment, nearly 40 applications are lying pending with MC authorities and they can be approved only in the MC general House meeting - the meetings are normally called after a gap of three months or even more.

The PMCs are getting payments at the rate of Rs 1 per square metre from MC for the maintenance of parks.

Apart from the city parks, even the roadside green belts have also not been allotted to anyone.

Sources also revealed that a number of mohalla societies which wanted to maintain parks were not allotted any parks this time. Instead, the favourities of councillors' got parks allotted for them. This has led to resentment brewing among a few residents in Dugri, Focal Point, Salem Tabri, Chand Cinema and many other areas.

Though a few flora lights have been installed in the shabby looking parks, little has been done to clean these parks which otherwise are full of filth and have no vegetation.

... contd.