Post News Network
Jeypore, Dec 14: A rare cactus park in the state – the only other one of its kind – has vanished due to shoddy upkeep here in Koraput district.
The park – inaugurated with much fanfare a decade back – has now turned into a wild overgrowth of weeds and shrubs and doubles up as a urinal for pedestrians.
The park, set up by the state science and IT department at a cost of Rs 7 lakh, was inaugurated in July 2005 by then minister Rabi Narayan Nanda. The park was the culmination of the efforts of the Regional Plant Research Centre which developed the park on the department’s behalf. Saplings from other states were brought in and transplanted here, giving the park a unique look. The park was also quite popular, drawing a sizeable number of visitors. The local municipality was charged with the park’s maintenance.
However, things began taking a gradual turn for the worse. There is not a single cactus left in the park while chemical sheets laid to regulate the temperature required for the growth of the cacti have been damaged. All that is left in the park are some iron structures that were erected to hold the chemical sheets in place.
Locals have demanded a revamp of the park on several occasions but in vain. “It was only the second such park in the whole state. It became a victim of administrative apathy. Whatever’s left inside the park will now be sold to scrap dealers,” a local official said.