BELGAUM: Belgaum is all set to host the Vishwa Kannada Sammelana (World Kannada Meet) from February 23 to 25. But, people and their elected representatives yearn for improvement of civic conditions and beautification of the city to create a good ambience for the delegates.

No one seems to care about the poor conditions of public toilets in the Central bus stand and major streets in the city. There is very little awareness of the basic rules governing general cleanliness and personal hygiene. While coming out of the Central bus stand, there is an intolerable foul smell emanating from the open public toilet just at the entrance. The railway station also presents an ugly appearance as the toilets are in very poor condition.

Pigs and stray dogs defecating in open places and narrow lanes are another major problem. In the absence of adequate public toilets or sulabh shouchalayas (paid public toilets), people have converted several narrow lanes into open toilets. While people continue to turn a blind eye to such problems, the Belgaum City Corporation's job has been limited to lifting up domestic wastes and filth.

Regardless of the efforts of the corporation to keep the city clean, many residents show disregard for basic rules of hygiene, observed a young environmental activist. Now that the Government has decided to beautify the city for the sammelana, they should start with cleaning of all public toilets, repainting them, providing 24x7 water supply and launching a mass awareness campaign on cleanliness. While taking up decoration of streets the corporation has to open more public toilets in view of over 50,000 people visiting the city for the meet.

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