The only herbal medicinal park of the city maintained by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has been ruined by a private marriage function under the nose of the GDA vice-chairman whose residence is situated right in front of the park.
The residence of the marriage organisers’ is barely 50 metre from the VC residence at the other corner of the park. The organisers who were not present at the site had directed the contractor to install tents in the park which damaged plants and the grass.
The security guard of the park Ram Prasad said he was asked to keep mum when he tried to stop digging holes in the park. The GDA officers were apprised but no one turned till the evening as it was a Sunday. Therefore, the tent installation work went on throughout the day.
“The only park after lucknow and Rashtrapati Bhawan in northern India is a precious one. The private function of any kind in the parks is prohibited but this park is very important in view of environment angle. Several types of herbal medicines are nurtured in this park. So it is the blatant apathy of the local authority to allow such function to held in this park” Akash Vashishtha an environmentalist of repute.
“This park is a hub of medicinal plants which includes Kalp Brakshha (Adelsonia digitata), Guggal, Rudrakhha, Sarpgandha, Aswagandha, Kaal Megh and lemon grass. Any private function in the park is prohibited” said SP Sishodia Horticulture officer GDA.
The GDA vice chairman could not be available for comments but the GDA Horticulture officer said currently he is not in Gurgaon and he would not allow the function to happen after reaching Ghaziabad because it is not allowed under rules. But preparations for the function was continuing till the filing of this report.