PAMPORE: The historic Lal Trag public park in Pampore is in utter ruins, with locals blaming the municipal committee Pampore for lack of its maintenance.
Locals told Kashmir Reader that it was a beautiful park with a fountain and a building constructed for the purpose of a public library.
It was damaged in the 2014 floods and since then the municipal committee Pampore had completely failed to maintain it, they said.
General secretary of the Auqaf Committee Pampore, Mohammad Sultan Shah, told Kashmir Reader that the park has been turned into a dumping site.
“Huge piles of garbage can be seen in the park, where dogs prowl and rummage through the garbage. It has become difficult to even walk along the park,” he said.
He added that the building which was meant for a library is being used by miscreants for playing cards and by addicts to consume drugs.
“The municipal committee constructed the park and then left it unattended. Cattle are being herded in the park and the library building looks like a stable,” he said.
Mohammad Yousuf Malik, a resident of Pampore, said that that the park was named after the Kashmiri saint and poetess, Lala Arifa.
“People used to enjoy here. It had a beautiful fountain and lush greenery. The government should restore it,” he said, also blaming the municipal committee for not taking care of the park.
Executive Officer of Municipal Committee Pampore, Shakeel Ahmad Shah, assured that they will restore the park.
“We will launch a drive to clean the park of the garbage after 15th August,” he said, and warned people to not throw garbage into the park.
He said legal action will be taken against those who rear cattle in the park.

BILAL HABIB