“…Civic officials say the massive construction activity undertaken for the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing has increased demand for iron ore globally. As a result, they claim, organised gangs are now operating in Kurla, Bandra, Mankhurd and parts of Byculla to systematically steal the manhole covers. A staggering 1,500 covers have been stolen in the past few months—each costing a handsome Rs 5,500 in the grey market…
… BMC officials have shot off a letter to the Mumbai police, asking them to speed up the detention in cases of these thefts. They have also unsuccessfully tried drastic measures to prevent thefts, from chaining the manholes to covering them with concrete, but to no avail…”
(Read the full report here)
Artist: Lee Lorenz The New Yorker June 23 2008 cartoon caption contest # 150
Proposed caption:
“That gun doesn’t shoot straight, honey. It is made in China from manhole covers of Mumbai. It’s kind of cursed by citizens drowned there.”