BMC adds nine colony parks to its list

Bhubaneswar, Nov 26: As many as 9 small parks of the city are added to the list of parks of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). As per the order of the Commissioner all parks having area less than half-acre will be looked after by BMC. Parks more than half acre will be managed by Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). In this connection, a letter from horticulture section of BDA has confirmed the order that says 9 small parks will be managed by BMC. BMC at present is managing 62 numbers of colony parks through public private partnership approach (PPP mode) which has yield positive result. Hence in order to strengthen community participation for promotion of greenery and easing city life community driven approach is being adopted to promote colony parks in BMC area.   The parks are managed by different 22 numbers of Mission Shakti SHGs and 18 numbers of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs). The managing agencies get Rs10,000  per month per park for maintenance. Among 62 parks 36 parks are developed under AMRUT Yojana. Community managed parks activities are being reviewed in every six months with the chairmanship of the concerned Zonal Deputy Commissioner in presence of community representative, environment section of BMC and concerned engineer. Responsibilities under PPP mode include timely opening and closing of the park, cleaning, watering, mowing, loosening of soil, regular application of insecticides/fungicides, staking and seasonal flower beds. Major activities like modification and reconstruction are looked after by BMC. Including nine newly added parks now BMC has 71 parks. We are trying to make it community-managed parks and process has already started, told environment officer Basanta Kumar Mallick and Horticulturist Girija Bhusan Satpathy.  On the other hand BDA has 52 major parks and four more are under construction, told chief Horticulturist Ashokananda Dhara.