Colombo’s Viharamahadevi Park - a welcome concentration of greenery in the city, presents a truly sorry spectacle and continues to deteriorate with the authorities turning a blind eye to the prevailing unfortunate state of affairs. All the more lamentable, because the park is virtually, the front garden of the Town Hall, where, the City Fathers tasked with the responsibility of administering Colombo are officed.

A walk on the outer perimeter of the park will reveal:

a) Unauthorised structures erected by audacious vendors. It is presumed that some of the glass-paned, wheel-bottomed "Kades" are authorised, with the owners presumably paying a license fee to the CMC. By and large such "Kades" are in a fair state of maintenance with the owners even taking the trouble to keep the environment in the vicinity of the "Kades" clean. However, there are other temporary erections of wood, plastic sheeting, old advertisement banner cloth and tarpaulin which, by their very nature, can hardly be license fee paying and authorised. Then, how are they permitted to exist?

b) A glaringly hideous construction which continues to expand steadily. It is a tarpaulin covered radio and bicycle repair shop located a few yards from the main entrance to the Sathutu Uyana. Having commenced with just a tarpaulin attached to a branch of a tree and secured to the metal perimeter fence, the "enterprise" now boasts of extensions, with the "manager" even having recruited an employee who occupies one of the extensions. The "work floor" continues to expand proving a hindrance to pedestrians. How this glaring cock a snook symbol of contempt for the authorities concerned, continues to escape attention remains a mystery. Meanwhile, taking a cue from the bicycle and radio repair shop, another prospective "enterprise" is in the formative stages just a few yards away.

2) The metal perimeter fence is broken in several places to enable the "kade" owners to conveniently obtain their requirements of water from the taps located within the park and for those using the park as "night quarters" to creep in and out. On the Dharmapala Mawatha bend that leads towards the Public Library entrance, a whole section of the perimeter fence provides a gate-size entrance with the angle iron attaching one side of the fence to the concrete post having been severed.

3) The concrete slabs on the outer perimeter pavements are, in most places uneven, broken or completely missing. Pavements on either side of the Public Library entrance are particularly noticeable in this regard. In summation, they are hazardous to pedestrians.

b) Some of the circular concrete blocks to prevent vehicle parking on the pavement are uprooted and left lying either on the road or in the side drains.

4) Polythene and paper bags, empty cardboard meal boxes, lunch sheets and torn newspapers litter the park and so do empty king coconuts, used cadjan and pieces of planks - material discarded from structures erected for various functions.

b) On either side of most entrances, for example, to the floral / plant exhibition / sale area, Kiddies Fun Park and Sathutu Uyana, there are abandoned hand carts and accumulated debris.

5) Selfish and irresponsible dog and crow feeders (some arriving in expensive vehicles), contribute to environment pollution by not only strewing bread and rice (the latter in partly consumed packets) wherever it pleases them, but leaving behind the polythene bags and newspaper wrappings, as well.

6) Some of the white painted concrete lamp posts topped with globular shades- which line the perimeter fence opposite the Town Hall are cracked due to Bo plants having taken root and would eventually crumble. The electrical wiring in some of the posts are exposed, as well.

Apart from the examples mentioned above, there are other areas warranting attention (for example, rusted corrugated iron sheet clad sheds which are not only unsightly, but, apparently, serving no useful purpose - the reference is not to exhibition fair stalls). However, detailed reference to same would prove onerous and entail more space. A positive response to the shortcomings listed should result in a marked improvement to the park for a start.

Responsibility / remedial action:

In regard to the above, if only a limited number of "kades" are authorised, such "kades" should be of identical shape, dimension and colour to ensure uniformity and facilitate identification. All other unauthorised "kades" should be demolished. CMC staff entrusted with the prevention of the construction of unauthorised structures should be hauled up for neglect of duty in relation to the current state of affairs.