BENGALURU: Energy Minister D K Shivakumar’s meeting with residents of Gorur in Ramanagaram district to convince them to end their opposition to the garbage processing plant proposed to come up there ended in a deadlock on Monday. The meeting was also attended by seers and people’s representatives.
The proposed plant, to be set up by Satarem Enterprises Pvt Ltd on a 27-acre plot, will have the capacity to process up to 1,000 tonnes of garbage from Bengaluru and generate 15 MW of power. Violent protests had erupted in Gorur last November when officials visited the village to survey land for setting up the unit.
Shivakumar said, “The plant will be set up after taking all sections of society into confidence.”
He promised residents that Gorur will not be made another Mandur and that all environmental issues will be addressed. No garbage will be dumped here, he said, and added that the waste brought by trucks will be burnt immediately and the ash will be used to make bricks. The plant will also generate energy. The unit will have the best technology and won’t generate any filth or foul smell, Shivakumar said.
Magadi MLA H C Balakrishna has strongly opposed the project stating that water bodies in the village will be polluted. “Let the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike set up the plant in the city. Why do you (BBMP) want to transport garbage to a village located at a distance of 50 km from Bengaluru,” he questioned.
Seers Basavalingaswamy and Malayashanta of Deshikendra Mutt said they were not in favour of the plant as it would pollute the nearby Kumudavathi river.
However, Shivakumar expressed confidence that he would convince the residents after holding a second round of talks with them.