Bengaluru: A notorious public urination spot behind the Nimhans campus in Jayanagar 1st Block has been transformed into a clean and visually appealing public space through a joint initiative by Bengaluru Central City Corporation, Youth For Parivarthan and corporate volunteers from Oracle.The wall, belonging to Nimhans, had long been one of the city’s persistent “yellow spots”, with people urinating there despite a functional public toilet located barely 100 metres away.Sunday, around 60 volunteers from Parivarthan, along with Oracle employees and civic officials, undertook a clean-up drive. The footpath and the wall were pressure-washed to remove years of stains, dirt and odour, before being given a fresh coat of paint and adorned with portraits of eminent personalities, mandala artwork and messages promoting cleanliness.“Public urination is often justified by claiming that adequate toilet facilities are unavailable. However, this location disproves that argument,” said Amith Amarnath, founder of Parivarthan.He added, “A functional public toilet exists just 100 metres away, yet many people still choose to urinate in the open. Some even urinate on the walls of the public toilet itself. This shows that the problem is not merely a lack of infrastructure but, equally, if not more, a lack of civic sense.”During the drive, volunteers reportedly confronted a few individuals who attempted to urinate on sections of the wall that had already been cleaned. The organisers said they hope the initiative, coupled with greater public participation, will encourage behavioural change and help keep Bengaluru’s public spaces clean.
