BENGALURU: The improper disposal of waste has led to the accumulation of 16,994 tonnes of legacy waste for more than a decade at Aralalu Solid Waste Management Plant in Kanakapura town, causing a serious threat to the environment as well as people.
Upa Lokayukta Justice KN Phaneendra, after an inspection, held that the authorities of Kanakapura City Municipal Council (CMC), Karnataka State Pollution Board (KPSCB) and Bengaluru South District have not adhered to the Solid Waste Management Rules. He stated that prima facie their inaction amounts to maladministration defined under Section 2(10) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.
The CMC officials said that the waste had been dumped at the plant since 2010. The plant is receiving daily 20 tonnes of solid waste, of which 10 to 11 tonnes is wet waste, and the remaining is dry waste. Around 5 to 6 tonnes of manure is being processed daily from the plant. The legacy waste was not disposed for several years due to the lack of screening machines for the process. To process the legacy waste, six months are required, the officials told Upa Lokayukta.
The Upa Lokayukta also found there was no pipeline or drain system for leachate, and a stinking smell was emanating because of rotten legacy waste. Flies, mosquitoes and insects are found in large numbers. The residents living around the plant complained to him that the stinking waste was causing pollution, leading to the breeding centre for flies and mosquitoes, resulting in children and elderly people residing in the BGS Layout within 500 meters of the plant, falling ill with dengue and malaria.
The Upa Lokayukta noticed that the plant has become a haven for stray dogs. Hundreds of dogs inside the unit are going on a biting spree in the locality. The residents complained that they used to bite not only people but also cattle. This has become a serious menace. Therefore, people cannot walk in the vicinity.
Suggesting to organise a health screening camp for the staff of the plant, providing safety kits for them at regular intervals, and also a health camp for the people residing in the vicinity, the Upa Lokayukta also directed the animal husbandry department to conduct a camp for screening of cattle health and get the quality of milk of buffalo and cow tested from the lab. He also instructed to examine the quality of soil, air and drinking water around the plant scientifically.
A suomoto case has been registered against CMC Commissioner Srinivas, Assistant Executive Engineers Dhananjaya (Environment), Sagar (Civil), Junior Engineer Sridevi, Senior Health Inspector Venkatesh, and also against Environment Officer Manjunath, KSPCB. The Upa Lokayukta has directed them to take up immediate remedial measures and submit their reply by January 28.