Deadline for bursting crackers breached in city

Deadline for bursting crackers breached in city

The Hindu

Complaints to the police did not help much

# The aged and the sick inconvenienced
# Police said they could not round up people for violating deadline

BANGALORE: Bangaloreans' famous "Swalpa adjust madkolli sir" was in full evidence as revellers went on bursting crackers well past midnight.

Many "socially insensitive" Bangaloreans breached the 10 p.m. deadline set by the city Police Commissioner for bursting crackers during the last three days.

Police control rooms were flooded with calls from people complaining of nuisance by neighbours who gleefully burst crackers beyond 10 p.m., and even well past midnight in many parts of the city. In several cases, the police reportedly told complainants, "Swalpa adjust madkolli sir" as the festival and the nuisance was only for three days. A resident near the telephone exchange in Jayanagar IV Block who requested a businessman staying in front of his house not to burst crackers at midnight on Saturday had a harrowing experience.

Minutes after he returned home making the request, the businessman burst a chain of crackers lasting 20 minutes in front of the complainant's house itself.

Responding to his repeated calls, the police constable at the control room said they were short-staffed to attend to the complaints. When asked, an officer said police could not round up people violating the deadline. People should be sensitive to others' problems and conduct themselves in a dignified manner.

Money power

A few people who called up The Hindu to narrate their woes alleged that those who went on bursting crackers beyond midnight appeared to exhibit their "money power." They did not bother about the inconvenience to the aged, the sick and the infantsby their act, the callers rued.

Apart from human beings, street dogs and pets were also the victims. Many street dogs came under the wheels of vehicles as they were lost and disturbed. Pets at home refused to eat food. While dogs at home took shelter in a corner or under the cot, street dogs stayed in culverts.