BANGALORE: The recent rain and the accumulating mounds of garbage in their backyard has several Mandur villagers suffering from respiratory ailments and aggravated infections.
Sexagenarian Krishnappa, a farmer who owns a plot near the landfill site, has been hospitalised with breathing problems.
“He fell ill last month. The stench is the main reason for this. A general physician at Hoskote advised us to take him to a bigger hospital. He is being treated at M S Ramaiah Hospital’s ICU from May 28. The doctors told us he will be shifted to a ward in a day or two,” his nephew Ravi Kumar told Express.
“Krishnappa’s daughter Manjula had come to Mandur for post-natal care. But after he fell sick, she feared that the garbage menace will affect her newborn’s well-being and went to her husband’s house in Begur,” Kumar added.
Shivaji Rao, another resident, said 68-year-old Narayannamma has also taken ill. “She has difficulties breathing. The doctors have said her condition is critical. Her two children are also unwell, but their condition stable,” he said.
Rao said Mandur only has a Primary Health Centre with just one doctor. “He is hardly at the hospital. In case of emergencies, villagers have to go to K R Puram, Avalahalli or Hoskote,” he said.
Sridhar, another resident, said his neighbour Pushpa Bai was hospitalised with fever. “The doctors blamed it on the odour. She was in the hospital for a week and was discharged on Monday evening,” he said.
The garbage mounds have also increased dog menace, villagers said.
“We can’t walk or ride two-wheelers as the dogs chase us. Dog bite cases have increased. But we do not get vaccine for this at our Primary Health Centre. We have to go to K R Puram government hospital,” said Mohan, another farmer.
Pulmonologist and Director of Lakeside Medical Hospital, Dr H Paramesh, explained that fungus grows on accumulated garbage as it contains moisture.
“The fungus causes breathing problems. This may lead to sleeping troubles and may even impact children’s growth”.
Dr Paramesh, who was also the Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Pollution Control Board, said garbage triggers skin allergies, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.
“The accumulated garbage can breed mosquitoes that can cause dengue fever,” he warned.
Attendance in Schools Hit
The daily strength of children studying in government as well as private schools at Mandur has decreased.
“In our school, at least five to ten children are not attending classes as they are unwell. A few of them have been hospitalised. If they have cold or fever, we advise parents not to send them to school as it may be contagious. We also come to school with great fear, but we have no choice,” a teacher at a private school said.
Anil Kumar, a farmer who grows mangoes and grapes, said both his children are unwell. “My son is in eighth standard and daughter in the fifth standard. Even my brother’s children, who are in first standard and LKG, are sick,” Kumar said.
He stays in a joint family and the children attend New Baldwin School. “All of them are facing difficulties breathing and they have severe cough. We went to Srirama Nursing Home at K R Puram for nebulisation. The primary health centre here does not have a doctor all the time. Even if he comes, he just writes prescriptions, but no medicines are available,” he complained.
But Reddy, BBMP Sing Old Tune
Bangalore: District In-charge Minister R Ramalinga Reddy said the BBMP needs eight months to one year to set up proposed waste processing units. “We are ready to give all facilities to Mandur villagers. There is no dearth of money. It is BBMP’s duty to manage garbage disposal. The State government can also help them financially,” the minister said
Meanwhile, BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana blamed the villagers for the mess. “They tied one of our staffers who went to spray a mosquito control drug. He was sent back later. They are not allowing BBMP staffers into the village. They are saying they do not want outsiders,” he alleged. He maintained that villagers will be reimbursed their medical expenses if they produce hospital bills. Soil capping was another assurance.
The BBMP is ready to set up its health care centre, Lakshminarayana insisted. It is also ready to supply the required number of vaccines for dog bites, he offered.
On his part, Mayor B S Sathyarayana said he will “try to spend money from the Mayor’s Fund to solve the villagers’ problems”.