No marriages, functions in Delhi parks, orders court
By IANSWednesday, September 2, 2009
NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday expressed concern over the damage done to the parks in the capital due to social gatherings and asked the civic agencies to ensure marriages and other functions are not held in these places.
The parks were not meant for such functions and if these events were allowed to be held there, an irreparable damage would be caused to the flora and fauna of the capital,” a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah said.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) counsel submitted that 302 out of 675 parks have been put on the list where no social or private functions are allowed, and that the remaining parks will be similarly put out by 2010.
But the court asked the MCD to complete the phasing out of parks by end of 2009 and said, We should encourage the use of community centres for functions and marriages.
The MCD contended that apart from the present 214 community centres the agency is planning to build 147 centres more by next year.
The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by a Residents Welfare Association seeking direction to the MCD, NDMC and the DDA that they should not book around 3,000 parks in the capital for marriage functions.
It was alleged that such functions resulted in unhealthy conditions as the garbage bags were left unattended in parks.
