[ Nellie N Manpoong ]
ITANAGAR, Mar 21: Some unruly citizens have taken on new ways to cause nuisance as reports of park lets (public seating area) and dustbins being lifted from their designated locations have surfaced around the Capital Complex.
In one such incident, an entire parklet located near the entry gate of the Thupten Gatseling Monastery here was lifted by unidentified miscreants on the night of 15 March.
The parklet was located right next to an under construction public toilet outside the gates of the monastery.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Prince Dhawan said that apart from the entire park let stolen, 20 pairs of dustbins have been lifted from Itanagar alone and that the status of Naharlagun is yet to be received.
“I don’t understand what purpose these items would serve to those who lifted them. The magistrates and police can’t be put on duty to guard each and every dustbin”, he said, while appealing to the public to take care of public assets.
He also called on the public to report such incidents immediately to the DC or SP office for further action.
The stealing of the Park-let has left the district administration and the IMC, who are on a mission on cleanliness and beautification truly flabbergasted.
Ward 9 Councillor Pakyum Tagung informed, “The parklet was most probably lifted on the night of 15 March because we found it missing on 16th morning. We also spoke to the workers around the area, who claimed that they had no clue on how it disappeared overnight”.
Accordingly, Tagung filed a complaint with the district administration on 16 March and the case was then forwarded to the police for investigation.
Superintendent of Police, Sagar Singh Kalsi informed that they have received a complaint on the dismantling of a parklet under Ward 9 of Itanagar, and investigation is on to apprehend the culprit(s).
“Such a large structure cannot be removed easily and there is high probability that those involved in the act must have used heavy earth movers or other machineries”, the SP said.
A case has been registered at the Itanagar Police Station under section 447/427 IPC and section 3 of the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property.
Ward NGOs also suspect that some drunken miscreants are involved in the act.
People of the capital had made a lot of pandemonium on putting Itanagar in the list of Smart Cities, but it looks like we are yet to have smart people.
The government is making major investments for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to develop the capital, but if public amenities keep disappearing in such a manner, citizens who have lost their civic sense should also be prepared to lose their right to complain any further.
