MANGALORE : It has been reported of late that the street lights are switched off much earlier than they should be switched off ever since an electrical engineer of the MCC in-charge of the street light division was suspended on the charges of dereliction of duty.
As of now, it is seen that the lights inside the Kadri park as well as on the roads nearby are switched off at 4 am itself when it is still dark, on the pretext of wastage of electricity, thereby inconveniencing people who come to the park for their morning stroll.
Several say, their complaint to the MCC staff in this regard would get a very irresponsible reply. The fact is however that the streetlights inside and outside the park were earlier not switched off even during day time. The MCC Commissioner NK Vijayaprakash who had noticed this had issued an order suspending Chandrahas, the electrical superintendent in-charge of the street light division.
Ever since then, the MCC staff seems to be on alert and have been switching off the streetlights even when it is still dark, forcing the hundreds of people coming to the park to use their torch lights.
These people including senior citizens and women who have been visiting the park every morning are now feeling greatly inconvenienced since the past three weeks and even fear they may be harmed by the several deadly worms that are found in the park area. Moreover, the absence of lights in the park have also proved a boon to those indulging in immoral activities and this in turn may do harm to women who come to the park for their morning stroll.
“ Entry of public into the park is restricted after 8 pm. However, people come to the park early in the morning for walking and exercise. There are seven high-mast lights inside the park which earlier used to be kept on till daylight sets in. But since some time, the lights used to be on even during day time. But now they are being switched off too early inconveniencing senior citizens like us.†He feels the lights inside the park should be kept on until 6 am.
Another local K Yuvaraj says the complaint to the MCC as well as the Deputy Commissioner in this regard, has also been futile.
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