Litterbugs ruining Kumara Park

Litterbugs ruining Kumara Park
Even strong advice, with statements like ‘please don’t litter, even dogs and pigs don’t,’ fails to convey the message to the public
DEEPTHI M R


Kumara Park has become a haven for litterbugs. Tired of pleading with the public to stop littering, the local residents welfare association has put up six or seven posters which read “Please don’t litter, even dogs and pigs don’t”. But in vain. Paper cups and glasses and bottles are strewn around these banners. “Though the there is a garbage bin near the Gullu’s Chats and Chetty’s Sandwiches, no one uses them. For people, it seems the park is a more convenient place to throw disposable plates, cups, tumblers and paper napkins after taking a walk, munching bhel-puri and other snacks,” said Ramakanth, Kumara Park Residents’ Welfare Association.
Kumara Park, situated near Seshadripuram, is popular for its well-maintained garden and the light music that enchants evening walkers. The garden also has its own compost pit where all the natural waste is turned into manure for the plants.
The two joints near the park cater to over 200 people everyday. Serving pani puri to sandwiches and bhel puri to masala colas, they are crowded most of the time and more so in the evening, especially with the summer holidays on.
The manager at Gullu Chat house said, “We only serve the people in plantain leaf cups. We have kept a garbage bin near the shop, but no one uses it. What can we do? We have even asked them not to litter the paper napkins and bottles, but nobody listens.”
Anil Kumar, who owns Chetty’s Sandwiches, said, “I am running my business here for the last 13 years. But we never faced any problem till now. People just take their food and sit on the compound walls of the park. They have dust bins there, but we can’t force them to use them.”
Ramakanth said he had donated two dustbins to the shops but they are not being used either. “There are three colleges nearby, Seshadripuram College, Composite College and Yadava College. All the students come here to eat junk food in the afternoon. In the evenings also, it is crowded by students and professionals who work in the nearby offices. Despite being educated people, they are least bothered about the environment,” he said.