Maya to open Rs 685 crore "Dalit Smarak" park today

New Delhi, Oct 14: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister will inaugurate the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Smarak Evam Green Garden on Friday (Today) at 5 Pm in Noida. The memorial, which cost Rs 685 crores, is meant to honour Dalit icons and has over two dozen huge statues of Mayawati, her mentor kanshi Ram and Dr. BR Ambedkar, among others.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief is expected to address around 40,000 party workers from across UP. It is reported that a special helipad has been setup at the Apeejay School (Sector 16) ground for the CM's helicopter to land and depart.

Meanwhile, Noida administration has left no stone unturned for the grand opening of the park. To welcome the chief minister, high-tech LED lights, hundreds of BSP banners and fountains have been fixed. Around 2,500 policemen have also been deployed to make the event a smooth affair.

The memorial has been built on a land that earlier housed a public park. When the work began in 2008, residents were upset as they were denied access to the park. Then over 6,000 trees were cut.

Later, the angry residents had moved the supreme court. The initial enquiry ordered by the Environment Ministry found several environment violations but in Dec, 2010, the supreme court cleared the project with a rider not more than 25 percent of the total 84 acres could be paved, the rest would have to be planted with tress.

Even after the clearance from the Supreme Court, several political opponents had accused Mayawati of using crores of public money to set up her mega memorial and for installing statues of her family members.

The grand opening of the memorial is being seen as Mayawati"s official start of her party"s poll campaigning in view of the state's Assembly Elections due next year.

OneIndia News