Locked by admn just a day after completion of 20-yr lease; after hue and cry, admn decides to reopen it Deepkamal Kaur Jalandhar, September 18 A sudden decision of the district administration this morning to seal Niku Park in the posh Model Town area came as a huge shocker for residents of the entire city. Falling in the heart of the city in Model Town and equipped with the best swings, rides and fun games at damn cheap rates, this was the only place where children from affluent as well as poor families always enjoyed coming. 20-year lease period over According to the administrative authorities, the 20-year lease period of the park set up on eight acres of land had got lapsed just a day ago and hence, its possession was taken over. SDM Jalandhar-1 Sanjeev Sharma and tehsildars Mandeep Singh Mann and Manohar Lal went to the park this morning to seal and take back its possession formally. A notice too was pasted outside the park which read that the property had been given on lease on September 17, 1999, after the deed had been signed between the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner on behalf of the state government and president of the Nikku Park Children Welfare Society. The society was run by Lotus Bawa group owner and philanthropist Atamjit Singh Bawa, who has his house just across the park. The society managed the park on a ‘no profit-no loss basis’. While a variety of swings, see-saws, slides, spring bouncers and cylinder rollers made of quality material were offered free, electronically operated rides came on a package of three rides for just Rs 35. These included fancy and colourful rides. As children enjoyed rides, their parents and elderly have always loved to frolic in landscaped gardens here. Even the sight of enjoying ducks swimming in a pond here has always been refreshing for them. To be covered under Smart City project: Admn Expecting a backlash from residents, the district administration even got a press note issued in the afternoon which stated: “As the state government has not passed any order for renewal of the lease deed, hence the administration took the possession of the government land in public interest. The administration has requested Chief Executive Officer of the Jalandhar Smart City for making a comprehensive plan for its judicious use in larger public interest in such a way that a green cover is also maintained.” DC Varinder K Sharma said: “We will improve the site. Then we will invite open bids to run it. The old lessee would also be able to avail the chance to take part in the auction.” Lessee’s take Lessee Atamjit Bawa said: “We never pocketed any profit from the society’s fund. Whatever income we made went into developing it further, setting up new rides, getting more staff and maintaining it.” New ride, cafe introduced three days ago Unaware that the administration would take back the possession of the park in such a manner, it was just three days ago that a new “car-bumping” ride was introduced, which was also covered in the ‘three rides for Rs 35 package’. While already there was an eatery inside, a new cafe too had been started here. Being everyone’s favourite, the park witnesses a huge rush every weekend, on holidays and in summer and winter breaks. 10 hours later, authorities order to reopen park After much hue and cry by city residents the day through, the administration finally bowed down to public pressure. In the evening, another press note was released that the park would be opened from tomorrow and a 13-member committee, including the previous lessee Bawa, would ensure maintenance of the park till further orders. The Deputy Commissioner, who visited the park late this evening, said the committee, headed by Joint Commissioner Harcharan Singh, would have SDM Sanjeev Sharma, District Revenue Officer Jashanjit Singh, Divisional Forest Officer KS Gill, District Horticulture Officer, Tehsildar Jalandhar-I Mandeep Singh Mann, Executive Engineer MCJ Daljit Singh, MC Superintendent Mandeep Singh, Junior Engineer Horticulture Onkar Nath, philanthropist Atamjit Singh Bawa, social worker Maj Gen Balwinder Singh (retd), Lt Col Manmohan Singh (retd) and eminent landscape, horticulture expert and environmentalist Dr Jaswinder Singh Bilga as members. He said the interim committee would ensure regular maintenance, working and upkeep of the park with a thrust on maintaining its green cover keeping in view public interest. The DC said the future use of this land would be decided at the state government level, adding that till the time any final decision was taken at the government level, the interim committee would maintain the park. Sharma said the opening and closing timings of the park would be the same as earlier, adding that all formalities of the park would remain the same. RK Bhalla, president, Jalandhar Vikas Manch, said: “The government wants to use part of the area for parking and some for selling to earn revenue. We will surely protest against the matter. I have already written to the Chief Minister, asking him to intervene and save the green belt”. Harish Sharma, general secretary, Burlton Park Welfare Society, said: “The decision taken by the administration is highly condemnable. It is anti-society and anti-environment. The society was running the park well. They should have been allowed to continue.” Rohan Sehgal, Congress councillor and protégé of Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, said: “The Model Town market needs parking facility. We are just asking for less than an acre of land for the purpose. The entire property in the prime area was on Re 1 lease and the society was running it as per its whims and fancies.” Jasmine Kaur, a mother of two, says: “The park was so well-maintained and was the only fairly-priced source of entertainment for children in the city. We have already seen how well the MC and the administration are maintaining 426 other parks in the town. Alas! This too will meet the same fate.” Balwant Singh, a resident of Abadpura, said: “No other multi-level parking lot of the MC has been successful, be it of Nehru Garden, Rainak Bazaar or near the bus stand. This too will not solve the purpose. The MC should have ideally ensured there is a basement parking in all new showrooms that came up recently. The authorities have miserably failed in their duties.”

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