Swachh Abuse! Why is MCC allowing Out of Town Street Vendors to Dirty our Smart City?
Swachh Abuse! Why is Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) allowing Out of Town Street Vendors to Dirty our Smart City? Most of these street vendors who come down to Mangaluru to sell flowers or old-clothes, leave a big mess behind when they go back. Team Mangalorean had informed about this issue to the MCC Mayor, Ramakrishna Mission, APD Foundation, Antony Waste Management Cell Ltd and other concerned authorities, but it seems like all the requests made are in vain, since the garbage problem still exists? With all this daily garbage that is seen daily, it’s surprising to note how did Mangaluru get the 3rd Cleanest City in the Nation?
Mangaluru: Regarding the never ending garbage issue around the Town Hall area, especially during the weekends, I had spoken to the concerned authorities so many times in the past few weeks- I had complained to MCC Mayor Bhaskar K, but until now no action; brought the matter to the attention of Ramakrishna Mission Swami and their Swachh Mangaluru volunteers, and also to the crew of APD Foundation- each of these NGO’s took action only once; also spoke to the Heads of Antony Waste Management Cell Ltd, but still no action; and also many others. It’s indeed a shame that Mangaluru which was judged as the one of the cleanest city in the nation is seen in such filth scattered all around. Surprises me how even did our Smart city get that second position as the cleanest city in the nation, when all this garbage is still lying around.
Take an early morning walk around Hampankatta, Town Hall area, Bunder, Market Road etc- you will see a mound of waste scattered- and most of this garbage is left behind by street vendors who come from out of town to do their illegal business here. MCC has been nice to these out of town street vendors by allowing them to make their living, but in response they dirty our City. Why is MCC not taking any action against these street vendors? Why are our NGO’s who strive hard to keep Mangaluru clean also not taking any measures to stop these vendors from polluting our City. The pictures in this report were taken during the early morning hours, before the pourakarmikas do the cleaning.
You will be surprised to see a piles of garbage, comprising of old clothes left behind by the out-of-town street vendors, who come down to Mangaluru every Sunday to do their illegal business- and when they go back they leave our City trashed and dirty. and this has been happening not just now, but for months- and MCC has done nothing to stop it. The ongoing festival every now and then is not just heightening the spirits of people; it is also increasing the size of the mounds of garbage already plaguing the city. Left-over flowers, sugar-canes, plantain leaves, ash gourds etc that found no takers during various festivals line the streets of popular city areas in the city, blocking traffic movement in some parts, painting a grim picture of the garbage collection and disposal system in the city post the festivities.
It’s not our locals who dirty our City, but it’s the street vendors who come from Hassan, Bagalkote, Arsikere, Chikmagaluru and other places who mess up the City. Once they are done with their sales for the day, they leave all the mess/garbage behind, which in some places are seen piled up. And next day early morning the poor Pourakarmikas of MCC/Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd are seen sweeping and collecting the waste and the garbage clearance trucks attempting to carry out the herculean task of ridding the roads of the rotting garbage. But my question is that, why MCC employees have to clean up the mess left behind by the street vendors coming from outside Mangaluru? These street vendors are not even the citizens of Mangaluru. They don’t even pay City taxes. Then why is MCC not taking any action against these street vendors who leave behind a big mess, that Pourakarmikas have to clean up.
Added to the mess created by street flower vendors during festival times, we also have these street vendors who carry on with their trade selling old clothes/rejected company branded clothes in the vicinity of Town hall- and when they go back to their respective places, they leave behind piles of clothes, and other waste, for Pourakarmikas to clean it up on Monday morning. I definitely think it is not right, and this has to be stopped, once for all. These street vendors have to clean up their own mess, and not allow others to do it.
These out of town Street vendors need to be blamed for the garbage-lined roads. Footpath vendors, mainly selling flowers, fruits and vegetables, would dispose of the waste wherever they set up business. This is a never ending problem-When the vendors wind up for the day, they leave the garbage behind, spilling on the roads, inconveniencing the commuters and shopkeepers around the areas. It is learnt that couple of guys are even collecting fees from these vendors as parking fees, which is illegal-does MCC knows about? I very much doubt! Or probably someone from MCC has also a hand in it!
Although Mangaluru is ranked as the top three top cleanest cities in the country, but there has been always garbage and filth scattered all over the city. The MCC officials have turned a blind eye towards the garbage created by these street vendors. These vendors need to be warned, and fined if they leave behind garbage after their business. Yes, there is no magic wand, or silver bullet, to solve India’s or Mangaluru’s civic problems. We are realists, and accept that many of Mangaluru’s problems are hard to solve even if the government and public work closely together and money was freely available. Of our many civic problems, we view the problem of visible filth on our streets as a behaviour and attitude problem that can be solved in our lifetime (or rather, this month). This can be achieved without spending money or changing legislation or systems. It requires coming up with smart ideas to change people’s rooted cultural behaviour and attitudes. And making sure those ideas work. And to make this happen we need public support in keeping the city clean, and we also need more volunteers.
If such a huge amount of garbage is seen everyday morning in the city, how can we expect PM Modis’ Swachh Bharath to be a successful one by 2 October 2019? Let’s not be ignorant- let’s appreciate the work done by MCC Pourakarmikas, volunteers of (Swachh Bharath) Ramakrishna Mission and all others who are trying to keep Mangaluru clean. We need to learn manners of cleanliness, we need to join hands with MCC and other voluntary associations who are striving to keep this beautiful coastal city clean. Let’s not dirty it by our ignorance and dirty manners. MCC needs to educate these street vendors about cleanliness, and if they are still ignorant, punish them with hefty fines. And if they still ignore MCC warnings, don’t allow them to do their ugly business in our town. Problem solved. Period.
And on a final note, I once again humbly request MCC Mayor, MCC Officials, Ramakrishna Mission, APD Foundation, other Environmentalists groups, and other concerned people to look into this garbage issue, and see that these ignorant people don’t dirty our City. Mere Awareness programmes will NOT SOLVE THIS ISSUE, INSTEAD PRACTICALS AND ACTION WILL ONLY SOLVE THE ONGOING GARAGE MENACE IN THE CITY. Also getting AWARDS just by submitting awareness programme photos to the judging committee is nothing but PUBLICITY STUNT? Period. Thank You!
