Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 5: The premises of a public library situated in the heart of the city has been in dismal condition for a while. During the road works that were underway, the compound wall collapsed restricting the entry of people into the premises.

This miserable situation is of the public library in Mallikatte which has become a haven for the drunkards and the homeless. People have been also using the premises to urinate and for other unwanted purposes.

Mangaluru being a Smart City should have good libraries, parks, sanitary facilities etc. but, the people's representatives have failed to efficiently use the existing resources. A person who can afford accesses information through the internet, newspapers, books, phones or computers. But, a poor man can go nowhere with the conditions being so deplorable, say social activists. They also claim that political representatives and the administration should concentrate on developing parks and libraries in the city.

Speaking to Daijiworld, activist Gerald Towers said, "I have seen this library functioning for the past 55 years. Earlier, senior citizens would read newspapers outside the library in the open space. Given the library no longer has a compound wall, the premises have become a dumping yard for waste. Many drunkards come and occupy the space, causing inconvenience for people to visit the library.

"When Yogish Bhat was MLA, he had sanctioned a grant for the development of the premises. Later, as far as my knowledge goes, not a paisa has been allotted for the development of the area around the library. The condition of the park is also really disappointing," he said.