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Haggala Gardens an attraction sans basic facilities
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Despite the large number visiting the Gardens only six toilets cater to their needs!
The 145-year-old Haggala Gardens in Nuwara Eliya, is one of the key attractions for local as well as foreign tourists.
However, facilities available for visitors have been poor, with no proper parking and sanitation facilities.
The Gardens contain only three toilets each for males and females and one other which is reserved for tourists. This facility is quite insufficient to cater to the number of visitors the gardens attract. The shopping complex in the vicinity of the Haggala Gardens comes under the jurisdiction of the Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha and brings in substantial revenue to the council. But, here again, sanitation facilities are grossly inadequate.
Visitors to the Gardens do not bother to use the facilities provided to dispose of their garbage
The complex has four toilets haphazardly spread through the building. But currently these are closed. To make matters worse, the building has neither electricity nor running water facilities. Vehicles which transport the hundreds of visitors who visit the Gardens have no parking facilities and vehicles are parked on the main A5 roadway in a haphazard manner which is a danger to visitors and other road users.
Despite there being waste disposal containers lining the roadway inside the Gardens, most visitors tend to dispose of their garbage in the adjacent shrubbery. At a meeting of the district environmental committee held last month, the Government Agent Ms Hellen Meegasmulla instructed the Secretary of the Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha to make arrangements to provide necessary sanitation facilitiesatshirley the venue.
A piece of land belonging to the Forest Conservation Department was requested and set apart for the purpose. With school holidays looming next month a large number of visitors are expected to visit the gardens. Unfortunately, no remedial action has been taken as yet.
Parking facilities are not available, posing a hazard to pedestrians using the road
The ‘shopping complex’ lacks adequate toilet facilities
The gardens receive hundreds of visitors on a daily basis