Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 5: Pilikula Dr Shivarama Karantha Nisargadhama, one of the well-known tourist spots of Dakshina Kannada district, has been suffering for want of proper maintenance. Thickets have grown around the buildings inside the compound. As proper maintenance in the form of painting has not been undertaken, items made of iron are rusting on account of saline air.

Urban hat where mango and jackfruit melas used to be organized, has a thick growth of vegetation around it. As there is direct access to this area for outsiders, illegal activities are going on. People have been complaining that because of lack of maintenance, buildings are becoming dilapidated.

 Lot of iron items inside the park are rusting as they are not painted regularly. Gates and meshes created for the birds by spending huge sums, and Eiffel Tower that was recreated in the park as a measure of attraction, are corroding. If they are regularly and properly painted and maintained, they last long.

On account of coronavirus infection, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of tourists visiting Pilikula Nisargadhama. Because of steep reduction in income, the society is unable to maintain the park properly. It is becoming difficult for the management event to provide food to the animals maintained in the biological park. The officials said that the expenses are being somehow met with the help of donors.

Towards attracting more visitors, some projects have been developed here by availing grants from corporate companies under the corporate social responsibility funds. But because they are not maintained well, they are getting spoiled without having a long life. The administration is responsible to maintain the structure and equipment that have already been installed and see that they remain there without deteriorating.

Administrative officer of Nisargadhama, Babu Devadiga, said that as the areas of the Nisargadhama is spread over a large area, the work of removing growth of plants and shrubs has been undertaken in phases with the help of three machines. He said that the work inside the animals’ enclosure has been completed and now work is in progress near the pond.