‘Smart City Trashed? A Not So Swachh ‘Mosaru Kudike Celebrations
Mangaluru: It happens year after year- the celebrations of Various Feasts like Christmas, New year, Mosaru Kudike etc, and after the celebrations, we see piles of garbage left behind by the revellers. Is this Swachh Bharath or Swachh Mangaluru that we are talking about. PM Modi’s dream of making India Clean is totally shattered? Yes, we all love Mosaru Kudike, and it is fun to watch young men make a pyramid and break the pots hanged on to the poles. It’s Traditional, Fun, Colorful- but the Mess that is left behind by the spectators is NOT Traditional, Fun, and Colorful? The amount of trash that was left behind at all the locations in the City, to name a few, in Attavar, Urwa, and the most trash was seen at the Kadri celebrations, since more people had gathered there because of a musical nite was unimaginable- and the Poor Pourakarmikas of Antony Waste Disposal hired by MCC had to toil hard to clean up all the Mess this morning.
Here for all this mess, we have to blame -First, the organizers/City authorities for not providing garbage bins when they had allowed street vendors to do business; secondly, the spectators for being ignorant and throwing garbage all over. Next time such kind of event takes place, either MCC bans street vendors or provides enough garbage bins. Like one of our ardent reader once had posted his comments on our website blog saying, “I was repeatedly saying this city is “Smart City” without “Smart People”-Despite being highest in literacy this city seems to lack civic sense. Cleanliness reflects the mind. This is the same reason they can’t elect ‘WISE” politicians in the last 26 years. Jai Hind!
Featured as one of the cleanest city in India- our educational coastal town last night turned into a trash can after Krishna Janmashtami/Mosaru Kudike celebrations at various locations. It seemed like a cyclone had hit the city, with trash scattered all over the area, and sadly, to note that not even the third cleanest city in the country and second cleanest city in Karnataka-Namma Kudla could save itself from the public litter that follows any festive celebrations. People should know that festivals are no reason for littering a public place. They should understand at some point that they must preserve the sanctity of the sacred festival, the great coastal city and its landmarks. Hope this blatant disregard to the Swachh Bharath/Mangaluru is not an annual feature anymore. While citizens are blaming on the organizers and MCC, while some said that a ban on food vendors is the only way out, some others said people travelling from other cities are to be blamed for creating this mess. Oh well, whatever it could, it was simply a mess out there- but an unbelievable mess?
With crackers being burst during the fest, not only was it a nightmare for Pourakarmikas, but it also created safety hazards, even scared the pet and stray animals. Man is responsible for his own destruction…first, he creates pollution and then blames authorities for not acting on it…Something new should be started instead of bursting crackers – something positive. Mounds of leftover food, used paper cups, ice cream wrappers, empty water bottles, paper plates etc and unsold perishables were also dumped by roadside hawkers and pushcarts, which gave extra work for these labourers. The City roads were strewn with trash, from plastic bags, empty water bottles, snack wrappers, fruits waste, corn husks etc.
Cleaning the mess near Kadri Mallikatta ground, Nagamma a Pourakarmika with Antony Waste Cell Pvt Ltd speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Citizens don’t have any pity on us. Every time a festival or a marathon/run takes place, we are left with all the trash to clean up. These people enjoy, and we have to suffer. It almost seems that sanitation workers don’t have festivals. People celebrate the festivals and the next morning we forego our holidays to clear their mess, and yet we are ill-treated by everyone,”. I don’t know whom to blame for this disgusting mess, whether to blame the organizers for not providing enough numbers of garbage bins/containers or the spectators (young and old) and mostly all educated for disrespecting the cleanliness awareness drive “Swachh Bharath” or “Namma Mangaluru, Swachha Mangaluru” campaign.
Even during the last year Mosaru Kudike celebrations, the same kind of mess was seen throughout and this year too it has been repeated. And the sad part is that all those who were responsible for littering were mostly from the City, I suppose. Is this what “Clean India” campaign that we are looking forward to, that too being educated citizens of India, where Mangaluru is considered as the Education Hub. Can’t we learn from our past mistakes? For the fact, religious festivals are also celebrated in parts of the world, but nowhere you will see such kind of waste left behind by revellers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi while launching his nationwide cleanliness campaign, the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ or ‘Clean India Campaign’ on 2 October 2014 (Gandhi Jayanthi Day) had asked India’s 1.25 billion people to join the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and promote it to everyone. Addressing the nation Modi had said, “We have gained freedom under the leadership of Gandhiji, but his dream of clean India is still unfulfilled. Swachh Bharat Campaign logo is not just a logo, through it Gandhiji is watching us and we all should clean India. Be it Temples, Mosques, Gurudwaras, Churches or any place, we must put efforts to clean our surroundings. Swachh Bharat mission is beyond politics. It is inspired by patriotism and not politics, the work is to be done by all Indians. This campaign is for 1.2 billion people and I repeat it 1.2 billion times. This work is not only about a ‘prachar Abhiyan’. It is a big effort but we have a lot of time.” But sadly today we are still seeing filth around us, even in one of the cleanest city of India. Had to believe it, that we belong to this Smart and Clean City?.
The Tuesday morning after the Mosaru Kudike celebrations that ended late Monday night, the streets were these celebrations held were reeked with scattered/mounds of garbage left behind by some of the ignorant crowd, thereby abusing the “Swachh Bharath” Campaign. Inefficient waste disposal may be one of the biggest drawbacks of organizing big events like this one in Mangaluru. A look at these areas after the conclusion of these celebrations is a case in point. Supposed to be a ‘Clean’ City, Kudla Turns into ‘Trash’ after ‘such festivals?
Everyone learns from their past mistakes, but SURELY NOT in the case of Mangaluru City Corporation. Even after they had experienced such garbage littering issues in the past after mega-events, still they are reluctant in providing necessary garbage bins, so that garbage is not scattered all over- and workers don’t have to feel the brunt of it. Even though Mangaluru is proud enough to say it is a “Smart City”, but is surely lacking “Smart Officials” at the helm of it. This morning the daily morning walkers were feeling the brunt of this mess, who had to be careful so that they didn’t step on the garbage. Can’t we learn from our past mistakes? If we think that there are people to clean our mess, then why even practice or observe “Swachh Bharath” campaign. Swachh Bharat doesn’t mean that You Can Make a Mess, and someone will clean it later”- If this is what you think, you are absolutely wrong. If people keep on creating garbage wherever they want to, then why even bother to have so many awareness programmes on cleanliness, I think its better to stop the Swachh Bharath/Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan?
In conclusion, if our citizens can’t keep their surroundings clean, and ignore “Swachh Bharath Abhiyan”, how can we ever think of having a Clean India or Clean Mangaluru. We need to enforce strict laws and punish those who litter in the public, then only we can look forward for “Swachh Bharath” and for that matter “Swachh Mangaluru”!-If not PM Modi’s “Swachh Bharath” will NOT be his dream come true! Let’s work together and see that we keep our surroundings clean. Remember we should learn from our mistakes to change, and not continuing our old habits. And let’s remember to make “Namma Mangaluru, Swachha Mangaluru!”. One humble request to MCC, next time when religious celebrations or any mega-event takes place, please provide enough garbage bins- and clean the bins every now and then-then only we can avoid a huge garbage pile up after the event.
Also Read Related Article:
- Suppose to be ‘CLean’ City, Kudla Turns into ‘Trash’ after Mangaluru Dasara?
- Aftermath of Flower Show! Kadri Park Road Reeks with Scattered Trash
