Two children's parks makes way for toilet complexes

New Delhi: At least two children’s parks (B-127 and Mithun Park) in the city have turned into construction grounds for toilets to be built under the South MCD’s “open defecation-free” project.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which is responsible for building these toilets, said the parks were the “last option” left since there is no land available for construction of toilets for JJ clusters under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (SDMC) jurisdiction.

The two parks where the DUSIB has already started construction are located at Mayapuri Industrial area Phase -1.

“In order to achieve there targets of toilet construction, they are destroying the children’s parks here which serves as the green belt. The whole purpose of maintaining the greenery in the industrial area will be defeated. Also, they are constructing a 42-50 seats structure in a single park which would increase the foul smell,” said Mr Neeraj Sehgal, general secretary, Mayapuri Industrial Welfare Association.

The DUSIB officials said the MCD is the land owning agency of the park and they have the requisite permissions from the SDMC.

“All areas of the park is not being used for constructing toilets. Only some part of it is being taken,” an official said.

However, some other government officials had pointed out that in order to undertake any construction activity in parks or any other green belt, its land use must be changed which only the LG can approve.

A The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board official said, “We don’t have any such permission from the L-G. For that, only the SDMC has to seek approval. We only have the NoC (no objection certificate) from the horticulture wing of the SDMC”.

While the district officials were unavailable for comment, an SDMC official,involved with the project, said that he was unable to confirm if the approval by the L-G was taken.