Horticulture Department, Dda — Complete neglect and destruction of shalimar bagh

Address:

New Delhi, Delhi, 110089

I am a frequent visitor to shalimar bagh but of late the orchard has become a sanctuary for antisocial elements who have turned entire garden into a mess. Evening and morning walkers, especially the women and young girls are scared to visit shalimar bagh in the midst o[censored]nknowns who clandestinely throng the park without any check whatsoever by any custodian of park which comes under horticulture wing of delhi development authority (Dda).
Perturbed by the wrongful spoiling of lush-green orchard which is enriched with age-old tress of different spices, uprooting of electric poles by hoodlums, i along with local residents inquired that why after all suddenly the shalimar bagh has become a den for wrongful persons. After in-depth probing it has come to light that earlier horticulture department of dda use to auction the shalimar bagh on lease for one year and temporary owner use to take care of entire garden for the allotted period. The caretaker, apart from harvesting the crop from fruit bearing trees, use to maintain the garden methodically and no incidents of any kind was noticed in the orchard as long it remained in the custody of person who was allotted the garden on lease by the horticulture department of dda.
Now it is totally unguarded, not only the fruits are plucked throughout the day by locals and strangers but illegal encroachments have also come up in the vicinity of the garden, besides providing the leeway for all sorts of clandestine activities. It is really quite mind-boggling to acknowledge that why the horticulture department of dda has not auctioned the orchards like shalimar bagh, nali wala bagh, motay wala bagh, hazare wala bagh etc., which not only generated revenue to dda but also used to protect the garden from wrongful usage as the designated owner for specified period used to preserve the garden appropriately to best level.
It is earnestly requested to kindly look into the matter and all those responsible of tainted horticulture department of dda should be taken to task for putting the residents to such an uncomfortable situation under which they find scary to use the garden and also for massive revenue loss to dda by not leasing the orchards in the fitness of the situation where dda is in no position to maintain round-the-clock protection of the green belt where thousands of trees and plants have been left to complete neglect. Already abandonment of orchards under reference has resulted in destruction of many fruit bearing trees and plants in addition to severe damage to the greenery for which our hon’ble prime minister is so concerned.