Mysuru: People who had repeatedly ignored warnings and awareness campaigns against dumping garbage on a footpath along B.B. Garden Road in Agrahara have finally stopped the practice, thanks to an unusual idea by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) which has invoked the ‘fear of God’ by installing photographs of Hindu deities at the spot.   

For a long time, the footpath had been used as an open dumping ground, with garbage piling up despite repeated appeals to keep the area clean. The waste emitted a foul stench, causing inconvenience to pedestrians, motorists and residents of the locality. 

The stench also spread to nearby houses, inconveniencing employees of a garage and staff of a mutt located behind the spot. 

Following repeated complaints from residents, the MCC cleared the garbage and laid tiles on the footpath. However, people soon returned to their old habit of dumping waste at the same spot. 

Determined to prevent further dumping, Corporation authorities installed an iron stand and placed photographs of Hindu deities on it.  

They also painted awareness messages on the compound wall, including “Do not throw garbage everywhere; use dustbins,” “One Earth, One Future,” “Avoid the use of plastic” and “Let us contribute to a clean city.” 

Interestingly, those who had ignored repeated awareness campaigns and even the threat of penalties stopped dumping garbage after the photographs of the deities  were installed. 

The spot has since remained clean, bringing relief to residents and restoring a hygienic environment in the locality.