The garbage crisis has reared its head yet again as villagers on the outskirts of Bengaluru are preventing trucks from dumping waste in quarries near their homes. Most of the waste is being carted off to three quarries as five of Bengaluru’s six waste processing plants are not operational.
As a result, residents of Mittaganahalli and Kannur are blocking the garbage-laden trucks.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, over 300 trucks, each carrying over 8 tonnes of waste, were stopped from entering the quarries, and had to be diverted to another quarry at Bagalur Bande and to the MSGP plant in Chigarenahalli, Doddaballapur.
Civic officials held a series of meetings with the villagers on Friday, but could not resolve the issue. Another 200 tricks had to be diverted on Friday.
Nanjegowda, former Kannur taluk panchayat president, who is leading the protest, said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sought three months to stop dumping waste in the quarry. “But villagers are refusing to wait,” he said.
Mr. Nanjegowda added that despite several assurances, BBMP has failed to control the odour they are now forced to live with. “The foul smell is unbearable. Also, the surrounding villages are infested with mosquitoes and houseflies. With the onset of monsoon, we fear an outbreak of diseases, like dengue,” he said.
Sannappa, a farmer from Mittaganahalli, alleged that there were clear signs pollution in the underground water table. “In two tubewells, the water is reddish-black for the first few minutes before we get clear water,” he said, adding that they are not obliged to take the city's waste.
Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, who spoke to the protesters on Friday, alleged that the protests are ‘politically motivated’ and that villagers are holding the civic body to ransom to release development funds. “We have started treating the waste in the quarries with a solution which has effectively reduced the odour. We have issued work orders to install leachate treatment plants of 50,000 litre per day capacity in all the three quarries. Once these plants become operational, the problem will be solved,” he said.
Mr. Khan ruled out stopping dumping waste in the quarries. “We will try convincing the protesting villagers through local leaders over the weekend. If they do not relent, we have no option but to get the city police to impose prohibitory orders and dump waste amidst police protection,” he said.
As a result, residents of Mittaganahalli and Kannur are blocking the garbage-laden trucks.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, over 300 trucks, each carrying over 8 tonnes of waste, were stopped from entering the quarries, and had to be diverted to another quarry at Bagalur Bande and to the MSGP plant in Chigarenahalli, Doddaballapur.
Civic officials held a series of meetings with the villagers on Friday, but could not resolve the issue. Another 200 tricks had to be diverted on Friday.
Nanjegowda, former Kannur taluk panchayat president, who is leading the protest, said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sought three months to stop dumping waste in the quarry. “But villagers are refusing to wait,” he said.
Mr. Nanjegowda added that despite several assurances, BBMP has failed to control the odour they are now forced to live with. “The foul smell is unbearable. Also, the surrounding villages are infested with mosquitoes and houseflies. With the onset of monsoon, we fear an outbreak of diseases, like dengue,” he said.
Sannappa, a farmer from Mittaganahalli, alleged that there were clear signs pollution in the underground water table. “In two tubewells, the water is reddish-black for the first few minutes before we get clear water,” he said, adding that they are not obliged to take the city's waste.
Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, who spoke to the protesters on Friday, alleged that the protests are ‘politically motivated’ and that villagers are holding the civic body to ransom to release development funds. “We have started treating the waste in the quarries with a solution which has effectively reduced the odour. We have issued work orders to install leachate treatment plants of 50,000 litre per day capacity in all the three quarries. Once these plants become operational, the problem will be solved,” he said.
Mr. Khan ruled out stopping dumping waste in the quarries. “We will try convincing the protesting villagers through local leaders over the weekend. If they do not relent, we have no option but to get the city police to impose prohibitory orders and dump waste amidst police protection,” he said.