At least 5,000 tonnes of garbage were lying uncleared in the City on Friday due to the unrest at the Mandur garbage dumping yard.
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been selling about 35 per cent of the segregated waste out of the 3,500 tonnes generated everyday, to farmers in and around Bangalore. Another five per cent is sent for recycling and the rest has been left uncleared in the last three days.
MG Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, Koramangala, BTM Layout, St Mark’s Road, Commercial Street, Shanthi Nagar, projected as ‘Brand Bangalore,’ are dotted with heaps of garbage.
With rain lashing the City on City, fear of an epidemic outbreak is looming large. Leachates flowing from garbage heaps may lead to spread of water-borne disease. Microbes that cause cholera, plague and other vectors thrive on rotten waste, said Dr Raghavendra Prasad, a general practitioner in Koramangala.
“Instead of waiting for the Palike to act, people should realise their responsibility, otherwise a Surat-like situation may befall us,” he said.
Residents’ protest
The Palike failed to break the logjam at Mandur, as the residents refused to let even a single truck enter the village.
“Enough is enough. We will not allow the Palike to dump waste in our village,” said Chandrashekhar, a member of the gram panchayat, denying rumours that the GP permitted the Palike to dump waste for the next few days.
BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel too confirmed that the landfill at Mandur was closed due to strong protests by the villagers. Goel apprised Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar of the garbage situation at a meeting at Shettar’s official residence.
Shettar sought to know the measures taken by the Palike for safe disposal of waste in view of the festivals lined up next week. Goel explained the steps taken, including the sale of segregated waste to farmers and taking up various projects like waste-to-energy and bio-mining.
Land swap deal
The Palike and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) have expedited the process of swapping land in view of the garbage crisis gripping the City.
On the basis of the agreement entered into between the two agencies, the BMTC has said that it could part with 225 acres and 10 guntas of land spread over 12 locations. In return, the BBMP has expressed its intention to give away 14 acres 35 guntas in Yeshwantpur, KR Puram, Old Market, Begur and Hoodi.