The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Angry residents dump garbage on CMC premises

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Angry residents dump garbage on CMC premises

By Govind D. Belgaumkar

The scene at the premises of the Dasarahalli City Municipal Council in Bangalore, where residents of T. Dasarahalli and Chokkasandra dumped garbage on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE, JULY 27. Angry residents of T. Dasarahalli and Chokkasandra dumped garbage on the premises of the Dasarahalli City Municipal Council (CMC) on Tumkur Road on Tuesday afternoon as a form of protest.

The residents told The Hindu that they diverted to the CMC a couple of tractors which came to unload the garbage in the Dasarahalli tank and dumped it on its premises — right inside its main gate.

They said they had warned the CMC that they would not tolerate dumping of the garbage in the tank any more. "We had written letters and spoken to the CMC officials over a period of time," Vasudeva Rao, a senior citizen of Dasarahalli, said.

"As the CMC has forced us to live with the stink, we diverted the garbage to the CMC to make its officials realise the seriousness of our problem," said Ramanjanappa of Chokkasandra.

With the entire CMC premises stinking, the officials were forced to move around or work with their noses covered with their handkerchiefs. Some of them said they could not have their lunch because of the overpowering smell.

Mosquito menace

The residents said about 30 loads of garbage were being dumped in the tank daily, making it a breeding ground for mosquitoes. "The tank had clean water a few years ago and living around it was a pleasure. Nowadays living here is hell," said Verma, a long-time resident of Dasarahalli. Leftovers from hotels, offal, feathers and bones of chicken were being dumped in the tank, other residents complained.

Mr. Verma pointed out that the Forest Department — the custodian of the tanks in and around the city — had stopped keeping a vigil over the tank a long time ago.

When a CMC official explained that the Commissioner had gone away to attend a meeting on this problem of the residents, the people shouted, "It's a lie, it's lie."

Assurance

However, the official assured them that garbage would not be dumped in the tank henceforth. He would discuss with the Commissioner the issue of cleaning the tank of the silt and garbage. To this the people agreed rather reluctantly. Citizens such as Seshagiri Achar said the residents would dump garbage right inside the CMC offices next time, if the CMC failed to address their grievances.

The CMC officials had a tough time in removing the garbage after the agitators left. A spell of heavy rain only added to their woes.

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