Mangaluru: The alleged neglect of Mallikatta Park, also known as Kadri Gopalnath Park and dedicated to legendary saxophone maestro Kalaimamani Padma Shri Kadri Gopalnath, has come under renewed scrutiny following the theft of a saxophone replica installed at the memorial.Poor hygiene, plastic waste, and damaged facilities have raised concerns about the park’s upkeep, which the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (Muda) and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) developed at an estimated cost of Rs 75 lakh.At a Praja Seva Aandolan public hearing Saturday, former corporator Manohar Shetty submitted a memorandum to Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, MCC commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey and DC Darshan HV, seeking immediate intervention to restore the park.Shetty said the park had remained poorly maintained for nearly three years despite repeated representations to the authorities. An estimate of Rs 17 to Rs 18 lakh has reportedly been prepared for comprehensive maintenance of 10 city parks, including Kadri Gopalnath Park, but tenders are yet to be invited.“For three years, it has been like this. I have approached officials several times and even spent money to clean the park, but no action has been taken,” he said.The theft of the saxophone replica has also raised concerns over the security of memorial installations. Shetty said he was willing to install a replacement at his own expense if the corporation failed to take action.He warned that if the park was not restored soon, he, along with members of Kadri Cricketers and the Kadarika Charitable Trust, would undertake cleaning and security measures themselves.Composer and Kadri Gopalnath’s son, Manikanth Kadri, said he had raised the need for maintenance with MLA Kamath about three months ago.“It is sad when such incidents occur, but proper upkeep ultimately requires adequate financial resources. If funds are allocated properly, the park can certainly be maintained. The authorities have assured us that they will do their best,” Manikanth said.Manikanth acknowledged that the park had not been properly maintained and alleged that people under the influence of alcohol frequently gathered there, resulting in littering and damage to the facilities. He suspected that the saxophone replica may have been stolen by a person under the influence of alcohol.
