Mangaluru’s litterbug Police

Team Udayavani, Jun 28, 2019, 7:22 PM IST

Mangaluru: The police are usually a role model to many but contrary to this, some on-duty police personnel of the Mangaluru Police department are littering the surrounding by throwing the plastic straws used for alcohol breathalyzer.

Taking to Facebook, Kirthana Nayak Sujir, a resident of Bejai, in her post said that it was sad to see the whole bunch of plastic straws lying on the divider and further added that ” Little did we know that lesson in cleanliness should be taught to the police department in Mangaluru.”

Narrating her story she said “It’s great to see that the Mangaluru police are doing some good work by taking action against those who drink and drive. The car I was travelling in was also stopped on a Sunday near Circuit House circle outside Kadri Police Station. Needless to say, nobody in our car was driving under the influence of alcohol and the person driving our car wilfully agreed to take the breath test. He blew into the plastic straw attached to the breathalyzer and within no time the result appeared and we were cleared to go. But as we went a few meters ahead, I happened to look into the rearview mirror. It was then that I was surprised to see the police officer who took our test throwing the plastic straw right on to the divider. Although I was taken aback by his action, I assumed that the straw would be picked up at the end of his duty. I immediately forgot about the incident thereafter.”

“A couple of days back, I was travelling in my scooter along the same stretch of road from Bejai to KPT. As there was some traffic near the Circuit House circle, I slowed my scooter down near the divider. That’s when I saw it. The whole bunch of plastic straws used by the police was still lying on the divider, absolutely untouched! There were dozens of straws strewn all over the divider and they were lying there since Sunday night. All this right outside Kadri Police Station,” she added.

“We talk about Swacch Bharat and take up plenty of initiatives to ensure that our city and surroundings are clean. There are tens of groups who go all around Mangalore trying to convey the message of cleanliness to the people. Little did we know that the first lesson in cleanliness should have been given to the Police department in Mangalore. It is disheartening to see that the police, who are supposed to show us right from wrong, are completely oblivious to their own actions in littering and that too in front of a police station. It’s sad but its the truth and the proof is there for the world to see even now. As the police department is more likely to conduct checks for a drink and drive every weekend, I’m sure there will be a bigger pile of straws in the next week and  the weeks to come.”

She concludes the post by saying  ” I hope this post acts as a wake-up call to the Mangalore Police Department. So this is a sincere request to the police department to take positive steps towards ensuring cleanliness and make us proud residents of Mangalore.”