Chennai: Accumulated waste at children’s park in Nandanam rankles residents

CHENNAI: A children’s park on CIT Nagar 5th Main Road in Nandanam is in an unhygienic condition due to poor maintenance, with garbage scattered around the play area and a foul smell emanating from waste bins.

One of the slides in the park is damaged, while plastic bottles, paper, food wrappers and other waste have accumulated around the play equipment.

The condition has raised concerns among parents about children playing in an unhygienic environment. The park is frequented by children and residents of nearby neighbourhoods, particularly during the evenings.

The seating facilities inside the park are also poorly maintained. Residents said that daily cleaning was not being carried out properly due to a lack of adequate maintenance staff.

The garbage bins placed outside the park are also overflowing, resulting in a foul smell in the surrounding area. Waste is found near the entrance, inside the park and in the surrounding areas, affecting the overall cleanliness of the premises.

Priya, a parent of a 5-year-old, said, “Residents and children from the nearby areas come here to spend time and play. However, there is a lot of garbage in the park. Due to the unhygienic conditions, we are hesitant to allow our children to play here. The garbage should be cleared daily and the park should be properly maintained.”

Another resident, Mohana, said, “There is a strong foul smell from the garbage bins outside the park, making it difficult to sit inside the park. If the waste is properly collected and removed every day, the foul smell can be prevented and children will not be affected.”

Parents urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to immediately clear the accumulated waste, ensure regular cleaning and repair the damaged play equipment and seating facilities. A senior Corporation official said, “All the garbage inside the park will be completely cleared tomorrow. Following this, the damaged items and seating facilities in the park will be repaired.”

A sanitary inspector said that action would be taken to sprinkle bleaching powder around the garbage bins to control the foul smell. “Steps will also be taken to relocate the garbage bins to another location,” he added.