Dust on Chikkamagaluru roads affects people’s health, business

Road users in town have been struggling to traverse the Mallandooru Road and I G Road, among others, being forced to deal with the dust on the stretches.

Many of the road users are suffering from health complications due to such journeys.

Schools, shops by the roads, and pushcart vendors are struggling to deal with the dust on the roads.

The roads were dug up for the work on the pipeline under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) scheme. The potholes on the roads and the incomplete work on laying pipelines too have been inconveniencing the road users.

“Keeping an autorickshaw clean is a challenging task,” said an autorickshaw driver, adding “Customers refuse to board looking at the dust in the vehicles.”

Several roads in town are also covered in a thick layer of dust along footpaths and medians, motorists said. The dust settles on their vehicles and they even reach their workplace covered in the dust.

Motorists complain that travelling on the pothole-infested roads has led them to suffer from breathing problems. Some people have taken to wearing masks to save themselves from the dust. Owners of shops beside Mallandooru Road too are seen wearing masks as long as they stay in their shops.

“My child is suffering from allergy and cough for the past several months due to the dust. We have decided to shift our house to avoid the dust,” said Sujatha, a teacher, who resides near Mallandooru Road.

The vegetable and fruit vendors using pushcarts are the worst affected by the dust. “We cannot sit at home, but have to eke out a living by selling vegetables,” pointed out Seethamma.

Autorickshaw driver Naveed Hussain said, “The autorickshaw stand is by the road. Due to the dust on the road, I have been suffering from throat infection and cough. I have been consuming tablets daily but have not been cured. The authorities should take measures to solve the problem of dust.”

Venkatesh, a flower seller near KSRTC bus stand said, “The road has been dug up for the work. When the vehicles pass, a thick layer of dust settles on the flowers. The dust has also affected my health.”

C E Geetha, a resident of Kalidasa Nagara, said, “The dust has increased the pollution. Schoolchildren are especially affected by it.”

City Municipal Council Commissioner Chandrashekar told DH, “The Municipality will purchase sweeping machines. Two machines will reach Chikkamagaluru within a month. The dust problem can be solved once the machines reach the town.”

He added, “Water is being sprinkled on Mallandooru Road to reduce the problem of dust.”