The ‘Dead’ Toilet? Activist Sowraj Places Wreaths as Mock ‘Funeral Rites’ on MCC Toilet!
Mangaluru: Mangaluru City corporation {MCC} had taken up various development programme during the tenure of MLA J R Lobo, including new bus shelters, toilets, gardens etc- but even though many of these projects were completed or near to complete, the inauguration or work was stopped due to election code of conduct, when the elections were announced suddenly. If you look around the City, there are quite a few projects which are completed, and even after elections are over have not been launched or put into use- for example- the garden and bus shelter in front of City hospital, on Kadri Road, is still waiting to be inaugurated. Similarly, in April 2018, Team Mangalorean had published a report, Ref: http://www.mangalorean.com/model-code-of-conduct-impact-want-to-pee-or-defecate-wait-until-elections-are-over/}, where a launching of the toilet was kept pending due to election code- we are not sure whether the toilet is open, now that the elections are over.
Now coming to the story which has come to light, is about an MCC toilet near the busy PVS Circle being remained closed for over a year after renovation, Activist Sowraj along with other activists held a unique protest by means of offering floral tributes by placing wreaths at the toilet door. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sowraj, who is a volunteer as part of Swachh Mangaluru undertaken by Ramakrishna Mission said that they are also making plans to observe ‘shraddha’ {one of several funeral rites performed at intervals after a death} for the toilet, if the MCC or government don’t reopen the toilet within a week.
Sources reveal that the Mangaluru City Corporation had taken up renovation of the toilet a year ago, but they failed at hand over the contract to run it even after the work was once over. In truth, social activists were soliciting for MCC officers to open the toilet, which is situated on the PVS Circle – Kodialbail highway, the place hundreds of pedestrians and motorists are short of one of this facility. Since no action was taken by any authorities, activist Sowraj and friends decided to place wreaths on this non-functioning “Dead Toilet”,- where MCC had spent a few lakhs renovating it- and now it seems like taxpayers money has gone down the drain?
Sowraj further said, “We decided to perform a mock ‘closing/funeral rites’ by means of placing wreaths at the toilet, for negligence of MCC officials in opening it. Even though we had spoken to many MCC officials including engineers of the MCC during the last six months or so, requesting them to open the toilet so that citizens could use it rather than allowing it to rot, but all our efforts were in vain. Though the contractor had finished the construction work by installing new sanitary fittings a year ago, but we learnt that the delay in opening the toilet is because MCC could not find a firm to operate it. And since the toilet remains closed, and officers failed to answer our requests, we decided to perform these mock funeral rites on this “Dead Toilet”. We will wait for a week, if not we are planning a different kind of protest, including of performing ‘Shraddha’ rite, considering the toilet as useless and DEAD?
Sowarj further said, “Seems like all the new sanitary fittings, electrical wires and water pipes are in bad shape or either stolen by miscreants. And since this busy area around PVS Circle, where people are in need of a toilet, and when we have a non-functioning toilet, unfortunately, men are seen urinating on the nearby walls. We hope at least the MCC officials will wake up and take necessary action, in opening this toilet for the use of many citizens. In the meantime, when Team Mangalorean contacted Madhu S Manohar, the MCC Environmental engineer, he said, “Due to the election Code conduct, we had to put this project on hold in appointing a firm to operate it. We are working on nominating a new contractor, and we should be able to finalize one within ten days or so. Until then people have to bear with us since we are trying our best to rectify this issue.”
So until this problem is solved, for all you men who need to desperately pee, your only bet is to urinate behind the walls- but we feel sorry for ladies- your only option is to control your bladder until you find a decent toilet or till you reach home?
