The beauty of Bengaluru has been defaced with the red tint of pan masala which can be noticed splashed all over the city, destroying the glimmer of the Silicon Valley of India.
The pan masala menace has shot up with the public spitting all over the garden city. This is also a major cause of the garbage issue in the city as most of the roadside junk consists of pan masala, gutkha packets and tetra packs.
The authorities have turned a blind eye towards this threat that has made Bengaluru a spittoon. From footpath to buses, the red stains can be found at all public place you won't be able to spot an installation without a red mark on it.
Many people in Karnataka use betel leaf stuffed paan and pan masalas that have a mixture of chewable tobacco among other ingredients, which might lead to oral cancer, according to studies. Public toilets, footpaths, skywalks and parks have been vandalised with pan masala stains and the authorities could not care less about it. When the police are fining people for smoking and peeing in public, why is the use of pan masalas still sustaining without any prohibition?
The Karnataka government had banned the use of pan masala and chewing tobacco back in 2013 but reversed the ban in 2017.
Even when the state government has painted several filthy areas of the city with colourful graffiti, the artworks are being covered with posters and gutka stains. These things are being sold openly in the city and other parts of the state without any objections. Several lawmakers can also be seen consuming it.
The overcrowded Majestic Bus Station is one of the prime examples as this as the area is filled with red stains that you will come across every two steps you take. Some of the government buildings have also become victims of this.
It is hard for the pedestrians to walk on footpaths without stamping over the gutka filth. Even though the people are trying to combat the gutka menace by eye-grabbing painting and murals, the gutkha chewers still continue to spit over walls.
