Ahead of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe's visit to Guwahati forthe annual summit, the freshly painted dividers in the city were seen to becovered with plastic sheets.

According to GuwahatiMunicipal Corporation (GMC) authorities, the step was taken to protect thedividers from gutkha stains. "A section of Guwahatians don't think twice beforespitting on the street after chewing gutkha or paan," said an official of GMC.

It may be mentioned herethat some Guwahatians without civic sense simply lower their car windows orslow down their motor-cycles and spit on the dividers.

Ironically, plastics were beingused to cover the dividers at a time, when PM Modi himself is promoting plastic-freeIndia.