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Novel protest by women

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Residents of Gopalrao Gorda, Jayantipetta and others clean up Diamond Tank in Berhampur .

BERHAMPUR: A group of women preferred to clean up the diamond tank and its surroundings rather than spending more time pleading before the local municipal authorities to take up the same measures.

Large number of women and small children of the area with the help of some youths have started this operation as a mark of protest against inaction of local municipality. This tank is used for bathing by the women of poor section of the area. But since past few years its water and surroundings had become a garbage dump. A. Raju a woman who led the cleaning operation said they had approached the local councillor and municipal authorities several times in the past with the request to clean up the tank and its surroundings.

“Women who work as menial labourers or domestic help are compelled to use this pond for bathing as tap water is a dream for them in this water scarce city,” said Yashoda another woman of the area. According to these women the municipal authorities can never understand the importance of getting this tank cleaned as they are not compelled to use it. So, they decided to use the Gandhian way and clean up the tank which they use rather than waiting for the municipality to do the job. Bubu Gouda, a resident of the area said they have decided to clean up the tank and its adjoining area regularly as they have lost faith on the local municipality. He hoped their action would spark some insight in the minds of municipal authorities.

In a similar move the Cyclerickshaw Trolley Drivers’ Association has also decided to donate Rs. 400 each to get the road between Pitagundi street and Desibehera street repaired. Despite several requests the local municipality is not repairing the road which is used by them as it leads to wholesale grocery and vegetable market. They say their vehicles are getting damaged by plying on this extreme unusable stretch of road.

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