Suppose to be ‘Clean’ City, Kudla Turns into ‘Trash’ after Mangaluru Dasara?

Suppose to be ‘Clean’ City, Kudla Turns into ‘Trash’ after Mangaluru Dasara?

We all Love Mangaluru Dasara-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 along the route of the Dasara procession was unimaginable- and the Poor Pourakarmikas of Antony Waste Disposal hired by MCC had to toil hard to clean up all Mess. 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.

Mangaluru: Like one of our reader Sheik had posted his comments on our website blog saying, “I was repeatedly saying this city is “Smart City” without “Smart People”-Despite being highest literacy this city seems to have lack of civic sense. Cleanliness reflects the mind. This is the same reason they can’t elect ‘WISE” politician from the last 25 years. Jai Hind! Featured as one of the cleanest city in India- our educational coastal town turned into a trash can after Dasara celebrations. It seemed like a cyclone had hit the city, with thrash scattered all over the area, where the Dasara procession moved on. 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 celebration.

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- 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 flower and garlands rotting on the street corners, 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.

Clearing the mess near MCC building, Seethamma 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 thrash 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 Mangaluru Dasara, the same kind of mess was seen throughout the procession route 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?

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 or any place, we must take 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 today while we are celebrating the Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we are still seeing filth around us, even in our cleanest city.

In conclusion, if our citizens can’t keep their surroundings clean or 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 to “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!”

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