At Kalakshetra Colony in Thiruvanmiyur, this Greater Chennai Corporation park is tucked squarely into the intersection of two roads named after two evergreen heroes of Tamil Nadu politics. This park in Ward 179 is located at the point where Karunanidhi Road meets MGR Road. While those leaders’ memory is hallowed and stays evergreen and fresh, the park connected with their memory indirectly is losing its green.

On the evening of July 17, when The Hindu Downtown made a visit to the park, at the behest of a representative of Kalakshetra Colony Welfare Association (KCWA), the sprinklers turned on, as if on cue. These sprinklers were in the skies and not on the ground. It started raining, heavily, accelerating to hundred the way those beastly supercars do. The sprinklers on the ground however were unmoved; and going by MGR Road resident and KCWA executive committee member Bharati Sadasivam’s account of their performance in recent months, they are “sedentary” or erratic.

Some sprinklers do not work, and those that do, function ineffectively, pooling water in just one area: that is Bharati’s performance appraisal report for the sprinklers. Here are Bharati’s thoughts, reproduced verbatim, about what the park means to residents of Kalakshetra Colony and what has become of the park now with particular reference to the health of its plants.

“This modest walkers’ park is a green refuge for those of us who frequent it mornings or evenings. It is the only one of its kind for miles around, with more than 25 varieties of plants and trees, crowned by the mandaarai, magnificent in its season. You can walk your chosen number of steps under its canopy of green. Quite often on a humid evening you can catch a delicious breeze as you turn at the southwest corner, despite the encircling buildings. For a time, you can ignore the whine and grind of encroaching construction sites nearby.“

Bharati’s account continues: “Sprinklers were installed some months ago but they do not work properly. The workers damaged parts of the walkers’ track while doing this and did not carry out repairs despite numerous complaints. The walls were repainted some months ago but not the benches which badly need a fresh coat of paint.” Anyone who has rubbed shoulders with KCWA members is likely to have heard about what the park sprung from: “a rubbish dump salvaged and converted into a green space by a few civic minded residents, notably the late Mr. Krishnamoorthy who lived next door.”

KCWA has been taking a keen interest in the park’s maintenance, trouble shooting whenever needed, taking the issues for resolution to the local Corporation official, and sometimes, escalating matters to the councillor of Ward 179.

At the time of this article going to print, a local Corporation official told The Hindu Downtown the issue pertaining to the sprinklers will be resolved soon.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government release a white paper on the financial position and functioning of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), alleging that the planning authority had been pushed into a financial crisis and was unable to meet even salary payments without government assistance.

In a statement, Dr. Anbumani referred to reports that the CMDA had sought ₹200 crore from the State government to pay salaries and meet immediate expenses. He said the government should explain how an organisation that had functioned as a financially self-sustaining body since its establishment in 1972 had reached such a state.

He alleged that the CMDA’s financial position had deteriorated after it was made to undertake infrastructure projects instead of focusing on its core function of granting planning permissions.

While Chennai required major infrastructure development, Dr. Anbumani said such works should have been carried out by the State government and the Greater Chennai Corporation, not the CMDA. He further alleged that infrastructure contracts awarded through the CMDA during the previous DMK government involved irregularities.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has begun heat-wave preparedness at 754 locations, including 300 hospitals, 397 Amma Canteens, and 57 homeless shelters in the city.

The civic body has imparted training for staff to treat heat stroke cases in the 15 zones of the city. “GCC has readied medications and drugs for treatment of heat stroke at hospitals, including UPHC, UCHC and UHWC. A total of 1.34 lakh ORS packets are available to GCC centres. All those who visit the GCC centres will get oral rehydration solutions,” said an official.

GCC officials have begun raising awareness among residents about the heat wave, advising people to carry an umbrella during the summer heat, wear a cap, and avoid walking or jogging in parks during the daytime. Residents have also been advised not to step out of their homes during heat wave conditions. The Integrated Command and Control Centre will monitor heat wave conditions and provide advisory for residents.

As the impact on children, pregnant women and senior citizens has been reportedly high, officials have suggested measures to prevent heat stroke cases of such residents in each locality. The officials have advised residents to prevent children from visiting playgrounds during the daytime in summer and permit them only during the morning and evening in the playgrounds and parks. 

The Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops is in the process of transforming one of the most famous landmarks in the city – the Guindy Race Course. The place where horses and their jockeys made or broke fortunes is quietly shaping into an eco-park that even while under construction is an isle of peace and quiet amidst the city’s hustle and bustle.  

The first phase of the project is being carried out on the 118-acre land where the Greater Chennai Corporation has created four ponds and deepened two lakes. It has also created bio-swales, which are channels that allow the flow of rainwater that will be filtered by plants and natural vegetation throughout the boundary of the park. These are meant to let the water percolate into the ground and also prevent flooding in the locality.  

“A viewing point from the highest spot at the centre will be created from where the entire park would be visible. A bridge is being constructed to reach the man-made island inside the other lake. There are three islands inside the waterbodies,” explained a source associated with the project.  

Among the other features planned in the first phase are a pathway with compacted mud, a bicycle track, parking space and visitor amenities on about 25 acres of land that is expected to be completed by October this year at a cost of ₹37.85 crore, explained a source in the department.  

Avenue tree planting has been carried out along internal pathways, with 495 trees planted across a 2.5-kilometre stretch. The plantations include native and ornamental species such as Magizham, Shenbagham, Nagalingam, Kadambam, Punnai, Pungan, Naval, and Tabebuia. In addition to tree planting, bund strengthening around water bodies and the establishment of a nursery for plant propagation have been initiated. The park also has a nursery selling seeds, saplings and plants, and gardening needs at affordable prices. The nursery also sells herbal plants and seedlings of vegetable plants.  

In the upcoming phases, the project envisages the development of herbal gardens highlighting traditional Siddha medicinal plants, offering educational opportunities on indigenous knowledge systems. Waterfront landscapes will form an integral part of the park experience. Natural lake edges, wetlands, and bird habitat islands are planned to create thriving ecosystems within the park, while also providing serene spaces for visitors to relax and observe nature.