For more than a year, residents of Vijinanapura have been complaining to the BBMP about illegal dumping of animal waste near Benniganahalli Lake. There are about eight butcher shops in the 1.5 km stretch from Purva Midtown and the KR Puram Railways station. Everyday, feathers, inedible meat, carcasses (and at one time even a dead cow) are burnt near an overlay bridge at 3rd main road. The smoke, residue and stench from this has made life miserable for them.
“This happens every morning, where tempo trucks drive up, dump about seven to eight cement bags of animal waste which they then set on fire creating a health hazard for everybody living around” says Sridhar Kapa, a member of KR Puram Rising and a resident of the area for about two years. The professional was diagnosed with bronchitis which his doctors ascribe to the inhalation of residue from the burning.
Burning of waste continues without break.
The BBMP has been notified about the problem multiple times. There have been two protests in the recent times. “But we have had instances where the BBMP themselves are dumping debris and waste. They pick up the pace (of cleaning) for a few weeks after people make some noise and then it is back to square one. But there hasn’t been a permanent solution to the problem; only stop gap arrangements” says Sridhar.
The animal waste that is burnt near 3rd A main road includes meat, feathers among other things.
The area falls under a BJP corporator and an MLA from Congress and therefore political help is fractured at best. “We went to the corporator recently to discuss possible permanent solutions to the problem. We were told that with the upcoming elections, the model code of conduct would be in place soon, so permanent solutions wouldn’t be possible immediately!” he says.
The residents have now taken to Twitter, tagging the Chief Minister’s office, the BBMP Mayor and even the Swacch Bharat App to highlight the problem since the start of the month.
The dumping of Garbage continues as of this morning with very little intervention from the authorities. Today the venue for the change is shifted as local MLA is coming to inaugurate a Storm Water Drain. pic.twitter.com/lOguPOaapd
— Tarun Sethi (@u103443) March 14, 2018
According to BBMP’s Solid Waste Management Plan for Vijinanapura ward, there are 20 auto tippers, 1 compactor and 118 pourakarmikas to keep area clean.