BANGALORE: The BBMP and the State government have suppressed Mandur villagers’ protest against dumping of the city’s garbage at the village landfills by imposing prohibitory orders.
BBMP’s trucks have started dumping garbage at the landfills from Wednesday night. The waste, accumulated across the city for the last three days, is likely to be cleared in a day or two, BBMP officials said.
The prohibitory orders clamped at Mandur from Tuesday evening will be in force till Friday. Many people, including Ravikrishna Reddy of Aam Admi Party, have been arrested for supporting the protesting villagers. BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminaryana said, “Everything will be normal from Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prohibitory orders has made the villagers’ lives miserable. Shivajirao, a villager, said more than 90 people were arrested on Wednesday afternoon, including 34 women.
“Police are not allowing us to step out of our house. No shops are open and we are finding it difficult to buy groceries. We are being punished for the mistake of the government,” he rued.
Minister Blames ‘Vested Interests’
District In-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “We all have witnessed the garbage crisis two years ago. Can we afford to make Bangalore another Mandur now?” he said. He also said local BJP and Congress leaders, including Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali, have agreed to allow garbage trucks to Mandur. “Some vested interests are behind this agitation,” he alleged.
New Problem
The BBMP is facing a new problem with villagers in and around Terrafirma waste processing unit near Doddaballapur and Karnataka Compost Development Corporation unit near Anekal protesting the dumping of garbage in their backyard.
Upa Lokayukta’s Intervention
Upa Lokayukta Justice S B Majage also visited Mandur. “I have called BBMP officials for a meeting on Thursday,” he told reporters.
Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy said in Mandur: “We have warned BBMP to stop sending garbage trucks and have given two days’ time. If they continue to dump waste, we are ready to violate the prohibitory orders.”