Dinosaur replicas finally find place for reinstallation

From The Nation (Pakistan): Dinosaur replicas finally find place for reinstallation
ISLAMABAD - The Capital Development Authority has at last found a fenced wet ground alongside the bank of Rawal Dam to dump worth Rs 25 million replicas of different-sized dinosaurs, those were supposed to be reinstalled at Ankara Park.

Dozens of fibreglass models of dinosaurs are left abandoned by the Authority on left side of the entrance of Rawal Dam, where they owing to extensive humidity in atmosphere and wet ground are deteriorating at a fast pace. While the heads of two directorates of the authority including Project Management Office (PMO) and Parks Directorate are vigorously attempting to disassociate their respective directorates from the ownership of these expensive replicas of dinosaurs.

It was back in year 2008 when CDA’s PMO directorate has purchased these models to install them in Lake View Park. But for some reasons it was decided to install them in Ankara Park on Club Road.

“The fibreglass models were installed but were removed from the Ankara Park after 10 days of their installation owing to the damage incurred by the models at the hands of visitors,” said an official. Since then CDA remained fail to find out a suitable site to reinstall them. While the original purchaser, that is the PMO directorate, has shifted the responsibility in this regard to Parks directorate.

The models were first dumped at Ankara Park in open air but owing to media criticism now the city managers have found a relatively less-visited site to place them. During the course of last four years several sites were suggested by the concerned quarters to CDA’s high-ups including Kachnar Park of I-8 or Japanese Park or another public park in I-9. But since than city managers remained flop to materialise any of such suggestion.

A concerned official wishing not to be named, for curbs the recently appointed chairman Farkhand Iqbal has imposed on officials of the authority regarding interaction with the media, said two days back a meeting of officials of PMO, Parks Directorate and contractor firm of the project have had a meeting in CDA’s main official complex.

The issue they thoroughly discussed there was about the development of Ankara Park, where issue of reinstallation of replicas of dinosaurs also came under discussion. He said at first the issue was to fix the ownership of these models.

“During the course of meeting it was decided that CDA’s Park Directorate would be responsible for the look after of these replicas. It was also decided that contractor who was given the contract of purchase of these replicas would install the models at Ankara Park and later the maintenance would be the responsibility of Park Directorate,” he added.

He further informed that installation of dinosaurs’ replicas was the part of PC-I of the development of Ankara Park. “Over the period of time CDA remained fail to select any other suitable place to install them but the Ankara Park, as the installation in mentioned in its PC-I.”

To save the replicas from damage at the hands of visitors it was decided in the meeting that models would be erected after their complete fencing. He said minutes of the meetings regarding models installation at Ankara Park had been sent to all concerned directorates. “In the light of minutes of the meeting the replicas would be reinstalled with a period of 15 days,” he assured.