Bengaluru: Close to the prestigious M.S Ramaiah College and National Institute of Advanced Sciences, lies an empty plot in Mathikere, which of late has been overrun by wild grass, shrubs and trees, and is now a haven for dogs, flies and mosquitoes.
This neglected plot, does not have a proper compound and hence a favourite among those looking to illegally dump garbage and scoot off in their vehicles.
Local residents said that at any given point of time, there are mosquitoes buzzing over people's heads. The menace has now spread all over Mathikere. Long time residents, PG accommodation inmates and shopkeepers all blame each other for the mess.
Shankar, who works at a food joint nearby, said, "All of us dispose waste to garbage collection van, but people from other places come and dump garbage here. We don't know who they are. The mosquitoes menace is perpetual."
Rekha, who stays little away from this spot, said, “The mosquitoes have spread all around Mathikere. Health risks such as dengue and malaria can't be avoided. Once the rains stop, water stagnates at various spots and worsens the problem."
Kavita, a long time resident, has to extreme precautionary measures. “My older son is a special child. He has a severe dust allergy. We do not let him step out of the house, because of the all the dirt from the garbage. It is the college students staying in PGs, who carelessly dump waste."
Another person, a senior citizen who has lived in Mathikere of 30 years, said a lot changed in the area in front of her eyes.
On condition of anonymity she said, "The garbage collection vans come as early as 6:30 am. I can keep my waste ready for disposal, but what about shops and joints that open at 9 or 10 am. Since, no one collects their waste at that time, they throw it in this plot or on the road," she said, on the condition of anonymity.
Some complained that certain residents living in upper floors throw garbage from their balconies itself. However, all of them blamed the government for not clearing the waste regularly from the plot.
Around 4 pm on Sunday, DC spotted smoke emerging from the plot. Someone had set fire to the garbage, a counter-productive way to clear the mess. Residents complain that smoke from burning garbage, chokes them and it is worse than the trash pile up.
‘People don’t segregate waste, follow rules’
Interview with Corporator Sumangala B., Aramane Nagara, Ward 35
Why is garbage dumped in that plot?
The plot is the property of M.S Ramaiah College. The waste is disposed of by the college students. We have issued many warnings and gone around the ward removing black spots, on our part. Yet, people continue to throw waste in public.
Residents say the garbage vans come at 6.30 am, before shops even open...
There are two shifts for the waste pickup autos. At 7 am, the BBMP autos come for residents. Around 10.30 pm, the commercial auto comes to take waste generated by shops. This is done by a private party.
Why has nothing been done about this black spot?
We have promoted the plastic ban, spread awareness door-to-door. Residents do not cooperate. They do not separate their trash. If the shops miss the waste auto, they just dump it outside. We have fined flouters, after which they follow rules for a week before going back to their old ways.
What can be done now?
Levying fines however heavy, does not seem to work. We will look into this again, but we need people's support to implement the rules. We have warned them enough number of times. Dry waste and wet waste are collected separately and people have to segregate it.
