Despite 200 personnel deployed, heaps of garbage and abundance of unlicensed and illegal stalls and kiosks ruining capital’s foremost picnic spot
Lakeview Park, the capital’s foremost picnic spot is in shambles as heaps of garbage and poor maintenance welcome the visitors who venture here. CDA, the civic authority of Islamabad, has failed to upkeep the park despite the fact that more than 200 personnel are deployed for the maintenance and day-to-day functioning of the park.
The Rawal Lake, once known for its clear water, has become polluted with waste, garbage and plastic bags. The motorised boats have wreaked havoc as they pollute water with diesel emitted from their engines. The absence of any safety measures during boat trips have caused many a tragedy in the past and if no action is taken similar incidents could continue.
The park management is fleecing money from the visitors in terms of exorbitant prices of tickets. The management is not content with entry and parking ticket alone. For the children’s play area, a separate ticket priced at Rs 30 has to be bought. The tickets of various rides are also outrageous and only a few families visiting the parks can afford them. CDA has failed to put a regulatory mechanism in place to keep a check on the prices of rides or food. The prices of food can bring tears to your eyes as food items can cost two to three times the normal market rate. By turning a blind eye to all these practices, CDA has left the general public at the mercy of those whose sole aim is to mint money.
Sources told Pakistan Today that none of the 51 stalls, kiosks and structures in Lakeview Park have licenses from DMA (Directorate of Municipal Administration). These stalls are owned and run by those connected with CDA officials. Furthermore, the government exchequer is getting nothing from these enterprises that are catering to thousands of people on a daily basis. No regulation is in place to ensure the quality of food sold at these kiosks.
EMPIRES OF THE WICKED:
Out of total the 230 employees currently deployed at Lakeview Park, 121 are regular employees. Others are either on daily wages or on contract. Pakistan Today also learned that many of the employees grease the palm of the park supervisor, Raja Basharat and in return get their attendance marked while they are absent from duty.
Recently, Farid Abbasi, a front man and nephew of Raja Basharat and park manager beat a security guard Muhammad Rizwan because he refused to give a ‘monthly share’ from his pay. Rizwan has given an application for registration of FIR at the P.S. Secretariat.
The revenue generated by these illegal kiosks goes directly to the park officials. In return the kiosks overcharge the populace visiting the park. All this has been going on for the last many years while the high ups at CDA are either oblivious or complicit.
The park officials have shown their ingenuity even when it comes to garbage.
“Our supervisor sells garbage worth Rs 30,000-35,000 every month and pockets the amount,” an employee at the park told Pakistan Today.
The beautification of the capital undertaken during Musharraf’s regime contributed hugely in providing Islamabad with beautiful parks, libraries, gyms and other recreational places. However, Islamabad has suffered hugely during the past decade or so. The roads are filled with pot-holes, the parks are in shambles and many of the libraries have been vandalised. CDA, with 18,000 employee and a huge budget has failed miserably in keeping Islamabad-The Beautiful beautiful.
CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid, when contacted, said that since he has been repatriated to his original directorate he is in no position to comment on the matter.
