mid day editorial: Respect our city's infrastructure

The issue may seem trivial, but it holds lessons for us all reminding us of the cavalier way in which we treat and use public infrastructure. Tucked away in the pages of this newspaper, a report highlighted how a duo has been caught for stealing a manmade butterfly that was installed on a tree in the new footpath garden at Thane.

The report elaborated that stealing an artificial butterfly from a garden to decorate one of their houses, has landed the duo behind bars. The two young men from Thane were taking selfies with the butterfly when it broke free from a tree. Unable to fix it, one of them took it home.

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had on April 10 inaugurated a footpath garden, as part of a beautification project undertaken in its road widening plan. A stretch of about 1-km at Pokhran Road 2 was beautified with artworks on birds and animals, and benches. There was a tree with two butterflies.

They should have left it in its place, instead of walking off with what was public property. Both these young men were above 21, an age when you know what you are doing. This is not an isolated instance. Often, we see people trying to make off with public property. From drain covers sold for commercial gain to breaking benches, whisking away plant holders, pilfering with odds and ends like broken seats, old automobile parts, decorations at selfie points, everything seems par for the course for people who believe they can simply break it off and walk away.

Respect our amenities and facilities. They are made for the public. Teach children to treat park infra with care and ingrain in them a respect for apparatus put in there thanks to public money. While this manmade piece came back home thanks to the police, other goods never make it back to where they belonged.

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