Villagers demand waste disposal unit

Living amid mounds of garbage has become a routine for residents of Bhagamandala.

Several complaints and repeated pleas to the local body authorities have failed to put an end to dumping of garbage and authorities have failed to initiate action against garbage dumping, even after the Gram Panchayat winning Gandhi Puraskar recently.

The heaps of garbage have been inconveniencing residents. In the past, garbage was being dumped on a paisari land behind government hospital. In spite of the government sanctioning a solid waste management unit, the authorities could not take up the work owing to paucity of land.

Initially, the gram panchayat had laid the foundation for the solid waste management unit for the scientific disposal of garbage at Tannimani. However, the forest department allegedly posed some hindrances to the work. Later, with the efforts of the DC and Tahsildar, the land was identified at Korangala for the unit. The residents of the vicinity opposed the solid waste management unit as river Cauvery is flowing nearby and there are possibilities of garbage entering the river, thus polluting it.

Now, heaps of garbage are found dumped near Kaveri Kshethra. As the authorities have failed to initiate measures to clear the garbage, the residents have urged the authorities to set up a solid waste management unit to dispose the garbage scientifically.