BENGALURU: A year after the launch of the Swachh Bharat mission, living with the stink is a daily affair for residents around the S Bingipura landfill near Electronics City Phase 1.
Srimangala, a resident of Doddathogur, said, “We want life, healthy food and clean drinking water. If this is too much to ask for, then what is the meaning of Swachh Bharat? The landfill has made our life hell and all our complaints fall on deaf ears.”
On September 12, residents of the area blocked around 50 trucks carrying garbage to the 20-acre abandoned quarry to protest the health hazard posed by methane gas, which was emanating from the site.
Srinivas, a member of Doddathogur panchayat, said, “As the residents rose in protest, District in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy promised to look into our problems and asked us to give him a month’s time to resolve the issues. Fifteen days have passed and nothing has been done.”
Prashanta, a 12-year-old boy from Bettabasanapura, contracted dengue last week, but treatment was not available as there are no primary health centres in the area. He was rushed to a private hospital and his daily wager parents had to shell out their two months’ savings for his treatment.
Mahesha, a resident, said, “For the past three years, the government has been promising to open a primary health centre. But who cares about us? We are garbage for them and hence, it is being dumped on us.”
After the protests, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike officials promised to rid the landfill site of methane and also send a doctor to the area every day till a primary health centre is built.
However, methane bubbles still pop out of the water and the doctor visits the area only once a week.
Vasuki, who runs a beetle leaf shop near the landfill site laughs at the idea of Swachh Bharat. He says, “Fifteen days ago, the government promised us Cauvery water to solve our drinking water woes but till date, it has not been implemented. Let them keep Swachh Bharat, we want our life back.”
BBMP officials also promised mudcapping every one-and-a-half feet of garbage, but a contract worker at the site, on condition of anonymity said mudcapping is done only once a day and by then, more than three feet of garbage is accumulated at the landfill.
Chairman of the Doddathogur village panchayat B K Anil Kumar said, “I want the city’s people to see our plight. If Swachh Baharat is needed, than each and every citizen should contribute to it rather than having ‘cleaning my own yard and dumping it in the backyard’ kind of mentality.”