Let down by the authorities even after multiple requests, residents of Kaggadasapura and CV Raman Nagar in Bengaluru staged a protest against the hazardous practice of transfer and dumping of waste on Kaggadasapura Main Road.
The protest was held just 20 days after Mayor Sampath Raj promised a solution during a meeting with the residents.
As part of the protest, more than 400 residents, cutting across age groups and from apartments as well as independent homes in the area, formed a human chain and held placards for over three hours on Saturday morning.
Residents have been protesting for some time about the stench that they have to endure on a daily basis and the subsequent impact on their health and hygiene as a result of the apathy of the authorities.
The unattended garbage is a happy breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies, rats and other pests. The garbage, which spills over to the road, makes the road slippery during rains leading to multiple accidents and aggravates the already slow traffic movement in peak hours.
The residents also complained about how the garbage contractors park their vehicles on pavements making it difficult for pedestrians to use the footpaths.
“Yesterday morning, just before the protest, Health Inspector Naveen had the area cleaned up for the sake of media. They knew from media coverage and social media that we were doing a protest. About 20 mins after the protest ended, all the garbage and the trucks came right to the old spot,” Tamanna, a resident-activist told TNM.
She added, “After the protests on Saturday, Inspector Naveen has assured that he will have the segregation point moved. But no improvement on the ground yet. As of this morning, all the garbage and trucks are still there and the stench is as unbearable as ever.”
The residents are also planning to protest at the BBMP headquarters over the issue and submit a petition to the Mayor and Commissioner.
46-year-old professional Ajit Kumar who recently relocated to Kaggadasapura says that he didn’t expect his productivity levels to take such a dip in just the six months that he has been living here.
“Every day, no matter how early I leave, I am stuck in traffic for an hour average, thanks to all the BBMP trucks that line up and occupy almost the entire road. And this is even before I get to Old Madras Road where yet another traffic bottleneck awaits. The worst part is that even after the trucks leave, a huge volume of garbage continues to be on the road, posing severe health concerns to my parents and young son. I’m worried about how my tax money is being utilised if basic living conditions are not met,” he said.
The BBMP Commissioner and the Mayor could not be reached for comment.