No entry for people at Bonsai Park

No entry for people at Bonsai Park

Y Maheswara Reddy
First Published : 24 Feb 2010 05:10:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Feb 2010 07:02:10 AM IST

BANGALORE: The much hyped and publicised Bonsai Park at Lalbagh has remained closed to public for years. Many visitors to Lalbagh, especially the Kempe Gowda Tower, are not even aware that there is a Bonsai Park there. The park has just existed on papers since 2002.

The Department of Horticulture organised a foundation stone laying ceremony on August 9, 2002 for the proposed HS Seetharam Rathnamma Bonsai Park on a 2.5 acre area. The then Minister for Horticulture, M Shivanna, laid the foundation stone while Allum Veerabhadrappa, the then KPCC president was the chief guest.

The Department of Horticulture spent lakhs of rupees for the Bonsai Park.

However, no official has taken the initiative to open the park to the public.

The objective of the park was to provide training in Bonsai for those interested.

The development work is under progress even after eight years.

‘Bonsai’ Srinivas, who donated Bonsai saplings and tropical trees to the park on the condition that the park be named after his parents HS Seetharam and Rathnamma, is regretting his action.

“They promised they will name the park after my parents. They even put up a board but removed it after a few years. They even stopped the honorarium of Rs 15,000 to me that was promised by the then director of Horticulture Department,” said Srinivas.

Many people who visit the Kempe Gowda Tower at Lalbagh want to visit the park but in vain. “What is the point in having such a beautiful gate for the Bonsai Park which remains closed forever?” asked Prashanth P, a visitor at the Lalbagh.

An employee at the ‘Bonsai Park said, “We take out around 200 plants for display during the flower show once a year. The public are not allowed inside the park since the development work is under progress.” However, Minister for Horticulture and Prisons, Umesh Katti, has promised to direct the Director of Horticulture Department to open the Bonsai Park for public from Monday. “I was not aware of the closure of the Bonsai Park. I will take measures to keep the park open,” Umesh Katti assured.