Lalbagh turns dumpyard

Lalbagh turns dumpyard
BY SHILPA P.
BENGALURU







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I Flower show visitors leave piles of garbage across the garden I
Walkers at Lalbagh got a rude shock on Monday morning as the garden resembled a garbage dump, a day after an unprecedented number of people visited the garden for the Republic Day flower show.

There were piles of garbage across the garden and the rock formation where the Kempe Gowda tower is located and the glass house were also not spared.

“It will take us at least a week’s time to clean the entire premises. As many as 150 sweepers are involved in cleaning the place. Botany students and environmental volunteers have also pitched in. We clean the garden two times a day but it has become extremely difficult to prevent people from littering,” said Dr G.K. Vasanthkumar, director, horticulture.

“We had to keep a check on the crowd and the hawkers. We were also busy handling security. We tried our best to penalise those who littered the place by imposing fines ranging up to Rs 50. We collected at least Rs 5,000 in fines on the last day alone,” Dr Vasanthkumar added.

Over 2,000 flower pots kept at the Glass House were broken and plants were trampled upon by visitors. A record number of over one lakh visitors came for the flower show.

The rose garden too was not spared from public onslaught with juice cans and plastic thrown all over the place.

Meenakshi, a regular walker at Lalbagh, expressed her anguish saying: “There are many dustbins here, but people don’t bother to use them,” she added.

“Our day begins here. It is very disturbing to see this filth in such a beautiful garden.

Lalbagh authorities should have monitored and initiated stringent action against those who violated park rules. It is best not to have a flower show here,” said Sridhar, another walker.