Come what may, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa manages to be in the news. After his dethronement, many issues like the prevailing drought in Karnataka followed by his state-wide yatra, the waiver of loans for farmers and of course, the present garbage mess in Bangalore becomes another tool for staying in the limelight and making headlines.
The city is currently reeling under the crisis of garbage disposal. Bangalore, has seen a massive increase in solid waste with the two-fold increase in its population since the last census.
Last week, Yeddyurappa hopped on to Salem along with some city legislators to study the model garbage disposal system. It is reported that he has now asked Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar to send a team of officials to study the scheme for its replication in Bangalore.
However, Yeddyurappa’s efforts seems to have angered BJP General Secretary and former union minster and Bangalore MP, H N Ananth Kumar who has reportedly questioned Yeddyurappa’s ‘interference’ in matters concerning Bangalore. Anant Kumar has also questioned the attendance of the city legislators in an exclusive meeting, which was called by Yeddyurappa before he went to Salem.
In the meeting, Yeddyurappa confabulating with a group of city BJP legislators and some loyalist state ministers and Bangalore Central MP, P C Mohan discussed the issue of garbage disposal in Bangalore in detail and was reportedly briefed by concerned ministers on the prevailing problems.
Speaking to the press, Yeddyurappa said a permanent solution was the need of the hour. “I want the government to find out a permanent and long-lasting solution to the garbage mess. All measures for scientific management of garbage needs to be discussed and a time-bound programme chalked out,” he said and added that he would urge the chief minister to encourage private participation in garbage handling.
Showing his influence and his ‘say’ in the functioning of the government, Yeddyurappa further appealed to the citizens to segregate wet and dry waste at source. Asked if his meeting with the chief minister would help in solving the problem of the city, Yeddyurappa confidently said, “Wait for two months, you will know its impact.”
As a solution to the city’s garbage problem, the High Court has recently directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to impose a fine on those who do not segregate garbage into dry and wet waste.
It has also directed the Palike to start garbage segregation units in each ward and to submit a report on producing fuel out of garbage within 10 days. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V N garathna passed this order. Charging that BBMP has become a big zero in ga bage disposal, Justice Sen said the Palike had not done its duty.
- Sunday Standard