“In the 16th century, parks and gardens were model of the cosmos and also tools for altering one’s consciousness, possibly for changing one’s destiny”. Linda Lappin. On the behalf of the citizens of Bhakkar, here, I am writing about a shared community asset, Jinah Park, which is the main recreational point in the Bhakkar city. Park is situated at a central venue of city: between Jhang road and Khansar road, found near the district court, hospital and government college for woman along the bank of canal. It is a solo central park for the citizens of Bhakkar.
As for as current situation is concerned: it is very dire and inauspicious. Due to careless attitude of authorities and inappropriate management, all the wastes of the nearby community are set ablaze and dumped with the sides of the canal just next to the park making it very dirty and polluted. Heaps of wastes and debris found everywhere presenting a vexatious view and causing multiple types of pollution in that area. No employee is there to clean and look after of the park. There is no fencing around the park, entry and exit system, so most of time dogs and cows are there. All the benches and swings are now out of order. Park lacked the proper lighting system and functional drinking water source like water-cooler for visitors. There is no jogging track in the park. Although it is situated in a very crowded place but still there is absence of any parking area arising bigger issues of traffic jam and accidents day by day.
In order to maintain the park authorities should take action for proper implementation: Dumping sites near park must be at once removed. City governments should set aside money for new park infrastructure and adopt strict regulations on their maintenance. New flowering and shady plant should be planted there. There should be water cooler plants in the different sites of park for visitors. To make the canal water free from trash material and for the better look of park, there should be the water filter system in the canal. There should be specific entry and exit points in the park. The infrastructure of the park including lights should be renewed on immediate orders. There should be a proper iron fence around the park to control the movements of animals. Build a special enclosure for different games of children. For proper check and balance new workers and security guards should be hired. Construction of Jogging track and parking area is needed of the park to avoid any unpleasant incident due to traffic jam.
It is very obvious, gardens and picnic sites are the best alternative of anxiety and hypertension human face nowadays. Such public parks are natural buffers to sustain the city environment as they contribute positively in providing quality of life to city dwellers. People of my city are very tending to these places and due to lack of any picnic sites or parks, they move to adjacent cities for their social gathering. Most important parks are the sites where the families with kids will prefer to spend their leisure time especially weekends rather than wasting it on social media due to which our new generation has become mentally and physically sick. Hence, parks, gardens and green places are not a luxury they are essential to our well-being.The solo objective of this letter is to have kind consideration of concerned authorities for the renovation of all city parks for the welfare of people of Bhakkar to provide relaxation and peace in their lives.
Mah Noor Balouch, Islamabad.