Karkala: When advertisements and messages on national televisions with regard to open defecation and urination failed to drive home the point, the Karkala Town Municipal Council cracked the whip on Tuesday by slamming a penalty of Rs 100 on 10 people.
Chief Officer Rayappa took this much needed step after Karkala old bus stand area became an eyesore due to people lining up to defecate and urinate in open.
With strong whiff engulfing the area due to the same, the people are constantly living under the fear of an outbreak of an epidemic due to the same.
Since liquor shops are functioning just a stones throw away, the drunk men usually end up in this open space to urinate and defecate.
On Tuesday, when the Chief Officer personally supervised the operation, it was evident that most of violators were drunkards, who were in an inebriated state and did not have even a single rupee in their pockets to pay the penalty. Due to this, the officials had to send them back with warnings.
The only toilet functioning here has by all means become a precarious place. The foul smell makes it impossible for anybody to even enter the toilet. The commodes have not been cleaned since ages and in the pit lies empty alcohol bottles, plastic and other garbage. Without electricity connectivity, this place has been converted into a den for anti-social activities.
The Chief Officer has said that the toilet will be locked soon, if the company that has been given the responsibility of maintaining it fails to do so.
However, it was later learnt that a bus agent who had urged the company to keep the toilet clean recently had to face action.
Suresh Devadiga, a bus agent had reportedly told the company to maintain the toilet in proper condition, due to which the company employees filed a police case against him.
