E-coliforms in water samples from Mavallipura

The contamination in Mavallipura has reached such an extent that the Karnataka Milk Federation refuses to procure milk from the farmers here, alleged residents of Mavallipura.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, the Mavallipura residents, under the aegis of Dalit Sangharsh Samithi (DSS) and Environment Support Group (ESG), hailed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) order to close landfill. The residents said that the high toxic levels in the soil, water and air had made their lives miserable.

On the occasion, Ramesh M, a gram panchayat member and DSS district president, released the analysis report of water samples from Mavallipura, collected by the ESG. The report shows that there is high concentration of e-coliforms at eight places, which should be nil. 

High levels

For example, in Ramky landfill leachate pond it was 1,600, in Mavallipura lake and FRLHT garden it was 900 and in Koramarakunte open well, it was 230. Similarly, total iron, which should be 0.3 mg/l was found to be 28 mg/l at the leachate pond, 4.92 mg/l at Koramarakunte open well and 3.15 mg/l at Mavallipura lake. The total dissolved solids must be 500 mg/l but it was 26,850 mg/l in leachate pond; 15,040 mg/l in Bailappa check dam; and 9,940 mg/l at Koramarakunte lake.

Leo Saldanha, Co-ordinator, ESG, said the people of Bangalore should use little sensitivity to understand the problems faced by people living around landfills.

Saldanha said, “Because of the waste generated by Bangaloreans, people living around the landfills are dying. If everyone segregated waste at source, ensuring recyclable plastics, bottles and metals were given to local rag-pickers and composted organic matter at home, 60 per cent of the waste generated in the City will not exist.”