If we have to ensure a healthy generation we should jealously guard open spaces
LARKANA: Larkana, the fourth-largest city of Sindh province, “The Eden of Sindh”, “The City of Garden” as per Encyclopedia Britannica, has had a number of gardens and public parks that are now slowly vanishing.
Karma Bagh, Raili Bagh, Dharmi Bagh, Thanwar Bagh, Tolani Bagh, Lekhraj Bagh, Lahori Bagh and many more are now found only in books as there is little trace left of them. The remaining parks like Zulfiqar Bagh were considered as the crown jewel of Larakana, which was built by Diwan Gianchand Motwani. He had a great affection for his Bagh and would bring different varieties of flowers and foliage from Pune and different parts of India for plantation. The total area of the garden was 150 acres. Unfortunately now this historical garden has been shrunk down by encroachers and land grabbers; and only a few hundred square feet of it is left.
Apart from Gian Bagh there is a historical and famous, Tajar Bagh, which was established in 1832 during the rule of the Kalhora dynasty. Tajar Bagh is on a vast piece of land in the centre of the town. Now the Bagah is surrounded by shops and gas stations, facing a big threat from the land grabber due to its pricey area.
It seems that the local and provincial governments have given a free hand to the land grabbers, instead of maintaining the parks with care. The authorities keep changing the names of such historical places to please politicians and disregard the ones who put their wealth and efforts for the people and for the city. It is time to reclaim the beauty that has been tarnished for all these years. These public spaces were made for the people and belong to the people. It is the government’s job to take proper care of these parks so that it is accessible to all. Parks and other open spaces are lungs in human settlements. In the absence of open spaces only sickness is to be there. If we have to ensure a healthy generation we should jealously guard open spaces. We should try to be good ancestors.
Aftab Jamali
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2019.
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