When in 1979 the Shishu Park was commissioned, the reception was mixed. For one thing it took up the area where the Indira Mancha stood and wiped out any trace of that historic place. For the other it was looked upon as essentially filling a void in child recreation.

The Joint clicked overwhelmingly. It became the darling of the children almost overnight. The elders escorting the children seemed to like it more than the kids. And it was a joy. forever for children of the poorer families as also for those newly come to the metropolis from the interior. From day one up until now the Shishu Park has never had a lean day.

The success hasn't at all proved good in any way to the park. It remains the same old stuffy little place with no sense of space and green. And the mechanical entertainment contraptions set up there in 1979, numbering about a dozen, continue to slog on to this day. It is time the park was expanded both spatially and facilitywise or more of such parks were created and launched. It is with that urgent necessity in view we proffer our preferences to the EXDC. most hopefully.

A Shishu Park should never be wholly an amusement arena. It should unfailingly be a park — with water and trees, hillocks and a lot of green'space. And for the Shishu part of the setup, best wisdom in the nation should be collected to mingle with best of imaginations to come up with what may enthuse and involve and enrich the child. An unthinking shopping around by contractors employed by bureaucrats and/or politicians tor stuffing such a park can only harm the child. Where can a child go to have a go at riding? Or to run after a drove of swans Jumping into water to escape from the bunch of imps? Mechanical facilities' such as adorn the present park do at best divert the child for a while, but not enrich him or her.

What the present Shishu Park missed at the time of its conceptualisation — if this process was there at all, that is — is love. That same lack continues to bedevil it. You must do something — indeed many things — for the children of this megapolis. Mayor Hanif. And please do all you can with love. Imagination and knowledge will then follow.