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Misty city C'magalur turns dusty

Road works leave people gasping for fresh air
Last Updated 10 January 2012, 19:38 IST

During rainy season people had to wade their way through mushy land as though set for a wetland race.

After the monsoon the residents of Chikmagalur could not heave a sigh of relief because summer has made the situation worse. The dust rising from the road is literally suffocating the commuters and pedestrians. Asthma, skin ailments and eye related problems are on the rise in the region.

Chikmagalur, the name itself used to make people want to visit the region and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. But off late due to sad state of roads and unkempt city surroundings, tourists are facing lot of inconvenience.

Good roads and clean surroundings add to the beauty of any city. Unfortunately the local governing bodies here have not understood the importance of the same. Due to negligence of the governing bodies local residents are paying a heavy price by developing various health disorders. Even tourists are carrying home a bad impression of the Chikmagalur.

A coffee estate owner Pradeep says that his friend’s son had come to Chikmagalur to spend his holidays. “He had gone to see the city on a bike. He returned home and complained of eye pain. His hair had turned red because of the dust,” said Pradeep adding that the guest had commented that Chikmagalur was nothing like what he had imagined.

The drainage construction at IG road is now under progress. Since the road works have been completed the city should have been bailed out from the dust menace. But after completing the road work, the workers started digging out well laid road to lay drainages.

“If one vehicle passes the following vehicles have to wade their way carefully through the thick smoke of dust engulfing the area. If you are in a car at least your respiratory organs are comparatively safer. But if you are on a two-wheeler then gods save your lungs,” says a bike rider in the city who says going out of house without scarves is a blunder in Chikmagalur city.

Amidst all these, one has to spare a moment to look at the way the traffic policemen have been doing their duty in the city standing on the middle of the road, breathing dust literally everyday.

“Why can’t the department provide them with masks?” This is the usual question that crosses every citizen’s mind looking at the traffic cops.

The local residents say that the authorities should take steps to sprinkle water on the road in tankers so that the dust can be kept under control.

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(Published 10 January 2012, 19:38 IST)

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