BENGALURU: Bengaluru will face a major garbage crisis as villagers from Bellahalli, which is a landfill site, have stopped 250 garbage compactor trucks, demanding that the promised development projects be taken up in their area.
Hemanth Kumar, a resident of Kogilu Cross in the Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency, said that garbage is being dumped near their village for the last 12 years, but no development has taken place. “A huge quarry pit that spreads across Bellahalli, Kannur and Mitganahalli is being used to dump garbage. Villagers here have been made sacrificial lambs to keep Bengaluru garbage-free,” he said.
The villagers said an agreement to dump waste here was done when the city was under BBMP, but even after the Greater Bengaluru Authority was formed, there have been no motorable roads, clean drinking water or development of lakes.
“Groundwater and air are heavily polluted in these villages. The villagers had agreed to allow 75 loads of waste daily, but now over 200 truckloads come here. Frustrated with the pollution and lack of development, we have stopped the trucks. There has been no communication from either the GBA or Bengaluru Solid Waste Management officials so far,” said Kumar.
The dumpsite spreads across Byatarayanapura and Mahadevapura Assembly constituencies.
A Narayanswamy, who is Mitganahalli Congress block president and a resident of Kannur, said borewell water in the area is badly polluted. Kannur, Gubbi and partly Bidarahalli, which fall under the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, have been impacted. The protest will be intensified in the coming days.
‘Team of officials will hold talks with villagers’
A representation will be given to the government to take remedial steps on an emergency basis, Narayanswamy added.
GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said a team of engineers and officials will hold talks with villagers and address their issues in two days. “Villagers are demanding development in their area and have sought sufficient funds. We will make preparations to release funds and address their issues,” he added.