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Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial in Virar’s Arnala village now a dump yard, allege residents
A resident of Arnala, a coastal village in Virar, alleged that the gram panchayat turns up to clean the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi twice a year - on the his birth and death anniversary - and for the rest of the days, it is back to being a waste land.
A memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in Arnala, a coastal village in Virar where his ashes were immersed on February 8, 1948, has now turned into a dump yard. According to activists and residents, the memorial built by the Arnala Stambh Samiti 62 years ago is now also a haven for drug addicts, alcoholics and stray dogs.
“The memorial, spread over 5,000 square feet, has become a home to stray dogs. Drug addicts and alcoholics use the space, which is an insult to Bapu. The memorial is littered with garbage, making it a horrible sight for visitors,” said Dattatray Karale, an activist from Vasai.
“Locals defecate in the open near the memorial as there are not enough toilets. The local gram panchayat has failed to maintain the memorial or construct toilets,” said Vishal Patil, a resident.
Only twice a year, that is on the Mahatma’s birth and death anniversary, the gram panchayat turns up to clean the memorial, and for the rest of the days, it is back to being a waste land, added Patil.
However, Pankaj Sankhe, member, Arnala Gram Panchayat, said they had no funds to maintain the memorial. “We have requested the locals not to defecate near the memorial and instead use the public toilets that we have constructed a few metres away from the memorial. As and when we get funds, we will be fencing the memorial to avoid any misuse,” said Sankhe.
“We also do not have a proper garbage disposal system as we are a gram panchayat and if Arnala had been included in the Vasai civic body, things would have been better,” said Mahindra Patil, deputy sarpanch, Arnala gram panchayat.
According to Karale, he had filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on the poor condition and non-maintenance of the memorial, to which the Chief Port Officer of MMB said action would be taken.
“There is a crematorium near the beach and post the rituals, flowers and other waste are found,” said Suhas Birhade a local resident.
Tushar Gandhi, grandson of Gandhi, said it hurts to hear about the bad condition of the Gandhi memorial in Arnala. “I will be visiting the place this week to observe its condition and then talk to locals about maintaining the memorial,” said Gandhi.
