Hyderabad: Whenever one takes a stroll at any locality in the jurisdiction of Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) and passes through an open space, the individual would find it difficult to identity whether it is a public park or a dump yard. So obnoxiously nauseating the parks have become that there seems to be no difference between the two.
Even as there is dearth of recreational space in SCB, the existing ones are left neglected, consequent to which they have become havens for anti-social elements. Most such parks have no fencing, lament residents.
Meanwhile, with municipal elections round the corner, some of the contestants are cleaning parks voluntarily after residents ‘complained’ to them.
“Not many parks are actually ‘parks’ in the SCB limits. Rather than allowing our kids to venture into such open spaces, we are actually warning them against going anywhere near that ‘park’ zone. We are worried because of the stray dogs and pigs that abound the vicinity because of the garbage dumps near ‘parks’ and empty stretches,” said Kamala N., a resident of Trimulgherry.
Playing equipment or whatever remains of them have rusted as they have been left unused and unrepaired for many years, pointed out Ms Sita Ratna Kumari, a resident of Brooke Bond Colony.
She added that the park has become an ‘adda’ for anti-social activities, where people booze late into the nights, fight and create nuisance disturbing their sleep, almost regularly.
Another local said that residents from nearby colonies throw garbage opposite their colony park. This is spilling onto the streets and the stink emanating from there had become a major health-hazard.
Candidates who are contesting the ensuing polls are giving a patient hearing to the myriad complaints by the people staying the localities. It is the same tragic tale, all over the SCB limits.
Samula Sathireddy, a social worker, has cleaned the colony park with the help of his volunteers. “P&T Colony Park was filled with bushes and shrubs rendering it unfit for children to play. Following requests by the residents, we took up the exercise,” he said.
Meanwhile, efforts to contact SCB officials for their response, proved futile as none was unavailable.
