Drunkards say ‘Cheers’ to ‘Swachh Mangaluru’ by Boozing & Doping at Mallikatta Bus Shelter & also Library
- Alcoholic say ‘Cheers’ to ‘Swachh Mangaluru’ by Boozing & Doping at Malikatta Bus Shelter renovated by Ramakrishna Mission as part of their Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan; & also at the Central Library located next to the Bus shelter.
Mangaluru : Every time, probably every day when I pass by this Mallikatta Bus shelter, it makes me sad to see how can people be so ignorant and senseless in destroying a bus shelter which was few months back fully renovated and painted by the volunteers of Ramakrishna Mission’s “Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan”. Following up on my articles done in the past, namely (Why Spend Money Paint a Bus Shelter used ONLY by Alcoholics & NOT Workaholics? ); (Alcoholics use the Newly Painted Mallikatte Bus Shelter for Drinking/Smoking/Chewing Spree? ); and ( NGO Volunteers Cleaned It, Alcoholics Dirtied It!- the Lane near Jugul Towers, Mallikatta ), here is yet another article on the abuse by alcoholics and other people towards Swachh Mangaluru.
For many years this dilapidated Bus Shelter which has been not in use, because after the road expansion and other developments were done- the ONLY people who have been using this Bus shelter are the drunkards, or call them alcoholics, even beggars to spend their night, stray dogs- and NOT Bus Commuters at all? And a report was published on 6 April 2018, named ” Why Spend Money Paint a Bus Shelter used ONLY by Alcoholics & NOT Workaholics? “, and the pictures in that report of all the empty liquor bottles/packs spoke about the drinking spree going on in this bus shelter. You will also see a bunch of chewing tobacco empty wrappers, cigarette butts/wrappers, empty water bottles etc
When such was the condition of this bus shelter why would anyone bother to paint it, when no bus commuters are using it, since the buses are taking a different route, and also a few of the buses are stopping at a different spot. If you look around the City, there are so many bus shelters in good condition, well painted etc but you will find no commuters using it-for the fact the buses don’t stop where the bus shelter exist. The newest addition to the city’s bus shelters is the newly constructed bus shelter in front of City Hospital-Kadri Road, a project by Lions Club- but with a rickshaw stand and vehicles parked in front of this bus shelter, and now with the drainage work going on has ruined the area around it- and this bus shelter is a disaster. What a waste of money on a project, which doesn’t serve peoples’ cause.
So on this issue there was a little misunderstanding between me and Swamiji of Ramakrishna Mission, when I narrated to him about the illegal activities going on in that bus shelter, other than it was not serving any good purpose to the citizens- so renovating and painting that bus shelter was total waste. In reply Swami told me that he knows what’s going on, the only reason they are painting the bus shelter was a part of city beautification. I said Okay, but requested him to see that no alcoholics/smokers/beggars use the newly painted bus shelter other than bus commuters- if not it will be a shame and abuse of a decent newly painted bus shelter.
In response to my request, RKM deputed few volunteers every night to keep an eye on the activities that was going on at the bus shelter- but that night vigil lasted only for few days- and few months later, if you look at the Mallikatta Bus Shelter and its surrounding, it is totally trashed with waste, mostly comprising of empty liquor/beer bottle, gutka/paan masala wrappers, cigarette butts, etc etc, including patches of chew spit. It’s sad to note that when the volunteers of Ramakrishna mission as part of their “Swachh Mangaluru Campaign” are doing a good community service trying to keep Mangaluru Clean and green, on the other hand we have a bunch of ignorant and idiotic citizens of Mangaluru who don’t show any appreciation of the cleanliness work done by Ramakrishna mission, and litter the city no matter what, and this Mallikatte Bus Shelter is an example.
Every late evening or night you can see labourers and lower-class people consuming alcohol, chewing paan/gutka, smoking cigarettes and what not- and leave behind empty liquor/beer bottles, gutka wrappers, cigarette butts etc. And once some of them are drunk, they spend their nights in the bus shelter- the area even stinks, with these alcoholics peeing openly. It’s once again a pathetic condition at this Mallikatte Bus Shelter. In spite of the night beat cops sitting in their car parked very close to this bus shelter many a time, these alcoholics give a damn for the cops, instead, they carry on with drinking, chewing and smoking- and the cops are not taking any action either. How nice to have such cops to take care of the City and the citizens?
Like someone said, “I bet the cops get a cut from the wine shop across from the Bus shelter, in allowing these alcoholics to carry on with their drinking spree inside the bus shelter. Added to the mess created at the bus shelter by these alcoholics, there are few others who use the space at the nearby Central Library, where they drink, smoke and involve in illegal activities. Among these alcoholics, there was one person, with a broken leg, who was so rude and who spends 24 hours at the bus shelter drinking and smoking, used abusive words saying that he gives a damn listening to anyone and that he won’t stop drinking nor he will move from there. Will any concerned authorities or police take action against this person, for being abusive.
Once again, while appreciating all the good work done by RKM, and other NGO’s/Organizations in keeping the City clean, the Officials of the City Administration/Mangaluru City Corporation/Police Department should also cooperate and come up with suitable ways to crack down on these litterers who are spoiling the beauty of Mangaluru. The NGO’s and other organizations can’t control these litterers, it should be done by the various City administrations, like imposing fine on those who litter, or even punish the repeating offenders. Apart from cracking down on those who litter, the Officials of the City, Police and transport authorities have to come out with a solution as to how to put some of these deserted bus shelters in use again-one way they can do it is educate the bus drivers or post bus route numbers/destination names in front of these deserted bus shelters.
Also, the authorities should make people use the new or remodelled/painted bus shelters, rather than allow them to be used for illegal activities. If not it will be “Absolutely not a “Smart” plan when the City is all geared up as a “Smart City?”. Or people should form a “GREEN BRIGADE” just like in Bengaluru where they catch those who litter or take the garbage and dump it back in the yard of those litterers. I only hope that this report will awaken the concerned authorities to take quick action against these alcoholics and see that the area is litter-free. Period!