Dada, zip it! no spittin' no mo'!

Orissa’s capital is all set for a super massive civic revamp.Reports DHRUTIKAM MOHANTY

Bhubaneswar, Orissa’s capital, could be soon turn into a metro. Transforming the twin cities of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack into another Mumbai is what the city police and civic authorities now desire. In line with that, authorities have embarked upon a major drive against spitting, littering, dangerous driving and boorish public behaviour.“This is a great drive to make the cities clean and create consciousness among citizens to be more responsible,” Ganeshwar Mishra, noted writer and a former editor of `The Samaj’ told TSI. The government has authorised the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police to take action against violators, which would attract fine between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. This is perhaps the second attempt in the country to impose fines to curn public nuisance. Taking a cue from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of transforming Mumbai into another Shanghai, Mumbai civic authorities had embarked upon a major cleanliness drive which made spitting and littering punishable offences. In 2006, the Mumbai Police were granted stringent powers to execute this civic. Likewise, the Orissa government has empowered the Twin City Police to come down heavily on offenders. In an effort to introduce all round cleanliness and discipline, drunken driving and disorderly public conduct will also end up in heavy penalties. According to Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police sources, letting loose dangerous animals, bathing or washing in a pool not marked for the purpose, indecent exposure, using threatening and abusive language in public places, creating nuisance and smoking iside government buildings will also draw the wrath of the city police.Fines would also be limposed on those who are ignorant of traffic rules. This includes wrong-side driving, dangerous driving, causing serious traffic impediments or public annoyance, obstructing streets, pavements and public places by wrong parking of vehicles, all of which will invite strict penal provisions. Will this change the city? “Yes, but this needs large scale public support as well as a good understanding of law,” SK Mohanty, President of Bhubaneswar's oldest cultural organisation, Godavarish Sahitya Samsad, told TSI.According to the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner, Bijay Sharma, “The Orissa Urban Police Act, 2003, grants the state government with stringent powers, which will be given wide publicity for the information of general public. It has been decided that initially members of general public within the Commissionerate area shall be made aware and informed about the offences and compounding fees prescribed for such offences.” Police officials say that so far, no official communication has been issued to police stations regarding this new drive. It will take time for proper execution. Initially, members of the general public found to be committing such offences would be issued warnings and fines would be the last option, a senior police official said. He should know: police-public cooperation is one of the most onerous challenges before any administration.