Karnataka: Case booked against women for throwing waste into river

MANGALURU: The Mangaluru City police have registered a case after a video of a lady throwing waste into the Nethravati river near Ullal went viral on Saturday.
An environmentalist recorded a video of a family arriving in a car, stopping on the bridge and throwing garbage bags into the river. The video was shared with the city police, who is on the look out for the Bengaluru registered car. Netizens were quick to react with thousands of shares on social media seeking action against the woman throwing garbage into the river from the bridge.
City police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said that a case has been taken up under IPC sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection diseased dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection diseased dangerous to life and Section 51(b) of Disaster management act at the Kankanady Town police station. Shailaja Nayak, Rachana Nayaka and Susheela have been booked and the vehicle has been seized.
M K Vipultej, advocate and member of the Swachh Karkala Brigade, wrote to Mangaluru City Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar seeking action against the offender. “The garbage thrown into a river which is worshipped by many and said to be the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district, especially during this raging pandemic, is an offence punishable under the IPC Sections,” he stated in the complaint.
Meanwhile, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) health department also filed a complaint to the police.
Mangaluru Urban Development Authority had erected fences on both sides of the bridge across the Nethravati river a year ago. The move was aimed at preventing suicides and littering the river. However, commuters travelling in cars and other vehicles continue to throw garbage to the river from the bridge.