Sir,

Apropos the report in SOM last month announcing the inauguration of Lingambudhi Botanical Garden on Sept.26 (coinciding with Dasara), the report said that this garden will function from 7 am to 7 pm.

I wish to bring to the notice of the authorities the disappointment on the faces of scores of visitors daily from far and near after seeing the gates shut and a notice in Kannada (with badly spelt words) that the garden is closed for improvement. No further details are given.

It was indeed thrown open to public on 26th even though the grand inauguration was not conducted due to various unknown reasons. The garden was open to visitors after a long incubation period of 11 years.

However, the joy was quite short-lived. Firstly, the announced timing was not maintained. It was at the whims of the garden staff. It was opened after 10 am and closed by 5 pm and on some other days at 6.30 pm.

Further, after Dasara, it has been abruptly closed without any announcement nor the future plans of its reopening and timings. Is this the way the Horticulture Department treats the general public?

Today I saw a large group of ladies coming all the way from Alanahalli Layout having to return utterly disappointed on seeing the notice of closure.

Will the authorities update the public on the firm plans for this garden and its timings and post the necessary staff to maintain it, so as to avoid more and more visitors getting disappointed and blaming the Government for careless attitude?

– Prof. B.S. Shankara (Retd.), Mysuru, 16.10.2022

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