Bengaluru: If you were to enter Tavarekere from Koramangala or BTM Layout you must cover your nose and slow down the vehicle since the stench emanating from the garbage will not let you stand in a one-kilometre stretch and the leachate may skid your bike.
Tavarekere is a major junction that the commuters have been using for the past several years to shorten their travel while navigating from BTM, Koramangala or Jayanagar.
“The stench is unbearable. Last time when I objected to some nearby restaurant workers from dumping garbage near an apartment, they threatened me. The pile keeps on increasing and a major part of the road is used to dump garbage,” said Aditya, a local resident.
He even alleged that though there have been several warnings by the BBMP that the violation was monitored on the camera, he never came across any monitoring being done by the Palike.
The meat shop owners, in the narrow lane of Tavarekere, have encroached the footpaths to put the cages for chicken. The lack of lavatories in the narrow lane has now turned the footpath into an open urinal.
“Auto and cab drivers stops at the black spots and relieve themselves. This is a burgeoning issue and the Palike should penalise violators. Studio apartments and PG accommodations have mushroomed in the area and most of them operate illegally. By 10 PM one can see huge pile of garbage on the same spots,” said Amit Anand, one of the residents of nearby S.G. Palaya.
Last month, on the eve of Independence Day, walls around the area were painted and a green net was put around to protect the pavements from being turned into a urinal. But residents allege that the net was torn away and the filth is back.
“Within a week, the net was gone and a huge mound of garbage was put up over there. The onus is on the people who do not want to put an end to this menace,” said Sunil Kumar, a shopkeeper in the area.
Q&A with BBMP Engineer Shareef
There is only one lavatory in Tavarekere. Is there any plan to build more?
Near Prestige apartment there is no space, but certainly in S.G. Palaya ward toilets are being constricted. Tavarakere is a narrow lane which makes it impossible for us to construct toilet.
Is there any solution to illegal dumping of garbage in the area?
People should openly protest against this menace. We have tried all mechanisms to stop the dumping of garbage, including painting of the wall, to regular pick up of garbage, but to no avail.
Though there are warning signs on the walls that the violators are being watched, there is hardly any presence of camera in the ward?
The tender has been called and the cameras will be installed at vital points.
