Joggers destroy parks

Joggers paradise deteriorating day-by-day
Vijay Times

N early morning stroll in Lalbagh or Cubbon Park will convince one that there has been a rise in the number of those jogging in the City .

Experts are of the opinion that one should steal at least 20 minutes from one’s busy schedule either during dawn or dusk to go out jogging or walking.

Having understood the benefits of performing these exercises, more and more people in the City are taking to walking and jogging. However , at the same time, the City parks are losing their charm as some of these people lack civic sense.

BVT did a reality check to find out how the City’s parks had been affected by the increase in the number of such people.

"While 50 per cent of people stick to the jogging tracks, the others enter the core portion of the garden area. Some of them even pluck flowers and leaves. There are some who throw plastics in the garden and the lake," said M Jagdish, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Lalbagh.

"In order to curb such activities, our security personnel monitor the area round-the clock. W e have also installed caution boards all over Lalbagh to inform people about the restrictions in place," he added.

The condition of Cubbon park is no better .

V enu Gopal, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Cubbon Park, said : "U nlike Lalbagh, which has fixed boundaries, Cubbon Park is an open space. Besides, it being an ideal destination for the joggers, it is difficult to maintain the garden." "Though some people follow the tracks and jog near the band stand area, there are others who make the park filthy . So , we are installing grill works to protect the garden areas and restrict the entrance of public there," he adds.

Almost every ward in the City has at least one park, which is not free from such issues.

Santosh, the caretaker of a park in Koramangala, pointed out that it was difficult to maintain a garden, when people, especially children, step inside the area.

"It’s not possible to keep an eye on each one of them. The initiative of keeping the garden clean should come from within," he said.

Apart from those jogging and walking, there are others who prefer to perform yoga in the serene environment of the parks.

Be it in search of fresh air or for staying fit, City parks have become a ’joggers paradise’.

The sooner they realise the need to maintain these gardens, the better .