Mysuru: The floods in neighbouring Kodagu district may have delayed the arrival of the Dasara elephants to the city – they subsequently did amble in in the first week of September – but the rain did not dampen the cheer that accompanies the wait for the ‘Naada Habba’ celebrations in the ‘Heritage City’. Besides the near palpable sense of anticipation that hangs heavily in the air, citizens are witnessing a change in the city’s infrastructure – for the better, of course – as the festival draws ever so closer with each passing day.Tourists from the world over descend to Mysuru ahead of, and during the Dasara celebrations , and every year, civic authorities pull up their socks ahead of the annual fare to ensure that the city remains spick and span before they arrive in the city. Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has already initiated work on the thoroughfares at the centre of the city. These are the roads that the Dasara jumbos will tread on during the finale of the 10-day spectacle. Besides the 2,300 pourakarmikas under MCC’s employ, the agency is hiring additional civic workers to complete all projects in time for the celebrations. The addition to the workforce is also meant to ensure that thye civic projects are carried out in a manner that is unobtrusive to tourist activities. Meanwhile, MCC is keen on utilising funds disbursed under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to acquire a sweeping machine – MCC already has one such device.MCC is likely to hire additional personnel before the start of Dasara on October 10. As many as 240 civic workers are likely to be hired on a temporary basis for various duties pertaining to cleanliness. Meanwhile, the pourakarmikas are expected to work in three shifts.MCC health officer Dr BG Nagaraj told TOI that workers hired by the civic agency during Dasara to supplement the efforts of the pourakarmikas, were likely to be posted at venues where huge crowds were expected – Yuva Dasara, Children’s Dasara, Raitha Dasara, et al. “We will use the Information Education and Communication Vehicle, which will be fit with an LCD screen on two sides, to raise awareness among the people. We will screen a here-minute documentary on waste segregation and management, and also publicise the ban on plastic in the city. The vehicle will tour all the prominent tourist spots,” Nagaraj added.MCC purchased a night sweeping machine ten years ago, and now, with the Reserve Bank of India providing the civic agency funds under its CSR initiative, the city is likely to get another device that will make the job of pourakarmikas significantly easier. These machines travel at the speed of 12kmph, and are considered ideal for cleaning broad thoroughfares. The sweeping machines are likely to be operated between 11pm and 5.30am.- (By R Uday Kumar)

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