State of play: Not the walk in the park you imagined

Garbage, broken facilities, other problems stalk a majority of Rawalpindi parks.


A view of an abandoned park in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID / EXPRESS

RAWALPINDI:


Rawalpindi’s green spaces are under attack these days from encroachers and street urchins who carry out shady activities. Instead of being havens for tranquility, sanctuaries for people seeking an unruffled retreat -- they are turning into hellholes.


“City parks have seriously been compromised. Most of them are full of filth and reek with an odour that can be likened to garbage dumps,” laments Mustafa Kazmi, a Satellite Town resident.

Being a long-time city resident, Dr Mehboob Ali is pained at the decline in the quality of parks and termed them, barring a few, as atrocious. “The conditions prevailing in parks range from very bad to good in terms of sanitary conditions,” he said.

The example of this range is evident from the completely neglected parks like Satellite Town Commercial Market Park, Ali Masjid Park, Hilal Park, Shah Sultan Park, Dhoke Kala Khan Park, Dhoke Mistrian Park, Shah Najaf Park, Mohra Sharif Park, Sarajeea Park, Dosehra Ground Park, and Muslim Town Park to the somewhat better maintained parks like Nawaz Sharif Park, Masjid Furqan Park, DSP Park, Ladies Park B-Block of Satellite Town, Edhi Park, Behari Colony Park, Chachi Mohallah Park and Millat Colony Park, which are comparatively better, but still have some broken facilities such as swings, benches, and lights.

Go to Asghar Mall Scheme Park behind National Market on Kali Tanki Road and you will find it defiled beyond redemption. At times inundated with dirty Nullah Leh water, with a garbage dump on the left side, laundry spread out on the ugly bushes to dry, practically invisible grass and grounds filled with waste are more than enough to turn away visitors.

“The park becomes a quagmire during rainy spells. It gets whipped up pretty badly and conjures the worst possible image. Even in dry weather, it is difficult to enjoy a walk around the park,” residents complain.

“Shortages of staff and funds alleged by the Parks and Horticultural Authority may not be the only reasons that the parks have been lying unattended for years. Misappropriation of money might be behind this situation,” suspected Khawar Khawaja, an old-timer of the locality.

“The only thing wrong with our city parks is that there are not enough of them. They are treated like private property by developers who dump construction material there, politicians organise public meetings and criminals have unfettered sessions there, all of which makes the area inaccessible for local residents,” said Safdar Hussain, a college professor.

“Stop destroying what little green space is left in the city. It is sad that we are facing the fact that it won’t be around much longer for us to enjoy,” said Ali Nawaz, an architect.

“Our parks are not protected by the law. They have deteriorated because the concerned authority is focused more on other things rather than on their upkeep. The best way to ensure that we and future generations enjoy parks is to properly maintain them,” said Jameel Hasan, a trader.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.

COMMENTS (17)

Abdul Suleman | 10 years ago | Reply

There is research that children with ADHD who are exposed to more greenery and trees learn more easily. Asthma and obesity problems are enormously reduced with access to parks and park-goers are always healthier.

Zubair | 10 years ago | Reply

Yes, part of the problem with the parks is a budget issue, but another part of it is a matter of political will.

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