Bengaluru: Errant restaurants dumping garbage in drains near Russell Market will lose their licence, according to a decision taken by BBMP Commissioner G. Kumar Naik. The Commissioner visited the marketplace on Saturday during his weekly inspection, following complaints from shopkeepers on illegal dumping of waste.
They informed the commissioner that hoteliers were dumping mixed waste into the storm water drain that is in the vicinity of the market. Responding to their requests to curb this activity, Mr Naik, assured, “Facilities for dumping waste have been created exclusively for hoteliers. They can send their wet waste to a processing plant managed by Noble Exchange Limited. If they are violating the rules, henceforth, a penalty will be levied on the concerned hotels and their trade licences will be cancelled.”
On noticing that heaps of garbage were strewn across the market, he directed the shop owners to maintain hygiene on the market premises. “The shop owners should have separate containers to dispose of garbage and waste generated in the shops should be given to pourakarmikas on daily basis. It is wrong to expect the BBMP to shoulder every responsibility. Also, it is the duty of shop owners to maintain hygiene on the premises,” he said.
On a lighter note, Mr Naik joined the pourakarmikas in Vasanthnagar ward for a cup of coffee, when he asked them if they faced any problems with the garbage contractors. “If any allowance is delayed doesn’t reach the hands of pourakarmikas, they can contact me directly,” he assured. He also instructed them not to collect garbage from hoteliers as separate facilities were created for them to dispose of garbage.
