“Dear Municipal Commissioner Sahib,

Namaste.

My name is Lallan. I am a fire hydrant. I stay in Belapur area of Navi Mumbai. My life is over. How, you ask? Well, My parents have reported me as ‘MISSING’ at the local police station. Please tell them that am not ‘MISSING’. I am still alive,  but moving towards a slow death, being buried in my own grave.

When I was born, I was told that I am a hero, a hero who was born to save human lives in fire emergencies. I still remember the day I was placed here at my current location.

I was red in colour. Super shiny. Ready to take on the world. Fully alert to be in use, in case any emergency was to occur. *beams with pride*

Life was good. Of course, a minor glitch here and there but all good. A glitch like how, you wonder? Well, occasionally the neighborhood Tommy would come and take a leak on me. *facepalms* Children coming back from school would play around me. The local flower vendor Lata tai would hang her wares on me every weekend. But, that’s ok I guess. Part and parcel of being in an Indian public place.

But, one fine day the local administration decided to lay the long-tattered road in front of my pavement. I was jubilant. Thrilled that my surroundings were being beautified. But man, was I wrong!

The sleepy eyed road engineer messed up while taking the road measurements. He failed to even notice me. The contractor’s men came and poured tar on me a la Anarkali. And I thought I was a Hero. *sighs* Nobody loves me.

I wish I could have shouted for help. They should have put an alarm or some kind of a siren on me.

So anyway, here I am. Most of my body is underground. I am now all black and totally useless. Useless even to Tommy who thinks am now too low for him.

Pls help me. If not for me, then at least for the sake of humans who reside nearby. They need me. *sobs uncontrollably*

Yours half-buriedly**,
Lallan Underground^
Near St. Josephs Church
CBD Belapur, Sector 8, Navi Mumbai

P.S. : Attaching pictures of my cousins from across the globe, courtesy their Facebook and Instagram accounts. *day dreams* ”

If you manage to spot a ‘still living and healthy’ fire hydrant in your neighborhood, do upload a picture of it and tag us on facebook or twitter. If the fire hydrant is in a bad shape and is about to go ‘MISSING’ like me, do upload an issue on www.ChangeBhai.in under Civic category.

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**that’s not a real word btw.

^ Actual name changed to protect identity. Also, all characters in the story above are fictitious. Any similarity to a real person (under or above the ground) is purely coincidental.

Image courtesy:  architectureandbranding.wordpress.com,chicagoclout.com, agencythirtysixty.com in that order