Panhkula Nirjhar Vatika runs dry

Sachin Singh

Panchkula, June 22

Nirjhar Vatika, a public park in Sector 5, has always been a place where people find peace amidst greenery, cool winds and tranquillity. The lake appears to have succumbed to the prevailing dry spell. Instead of water, it is now filled with garbage, dry leaves and fallen branches. The fountain in the park has also run dry and is filled with dry plants, stones and broken tiles.

The park features a jogging track, slides, swings and a lake. The artificial lake once boasted its own small biodiversity with fish, insects and birds.

Pradeep, a salesman who visits the park to find respite from the afternoon heat, said, “I like to come here and enjoy the sense of calm that this place offers. Earlier, the lake used to be filled with water and if you took a closer look, you could even notice some fish swimming around. However, that has changed now.”

Another salesman, Vishal, said, “It might be because of the rising mercury.”

On the contrary, a worker in the park explained that the fountain does not work because its base structure was damaged. He said that is why the fountain is not able to retain water for long. He mentioned that the park was earlier maintained under HSVP and now falls under PMDA.

PMDA Chief Engineer Amar Singh said, “The Nirjhar Vatika Park came under our control after the General Election. We plan on improving the facilities within the park, including the surface of the fountain, the footpath, and the benches. If all goes according to plan, the work will begin by September.”