Plot owners worried as layout turns into dumping yard

Having got their sites after a decade-long wait, Arkavathy Layout site allottees are now battling to prevent their plots from becoming dumping yards.

Site owners of Block 18, Byrathi Khane in the layout are worried as their sites are being used for dumping garbage and construction debris.

The allottees complain that they cannot start building their houses since the layout lacks basic infrastructure. Many contractors are taking advantage of this and dumping construction debris and even garbage on the vacant sites.

G Shivaprakash, president of Arkavathy Layout Allottees Association said all 600 site owners in Byrathi Khane have the same complaint.  “For the last eight months, truckloads of debris are being dumped on vacant sites. At any given time, one can see at least five truckloads of debris being dumped.”

“We have tried to stop them many a time, informed the police and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) officials, but in vain,” he said.  “We are already worried as it has been more than 10 years and we have been unable to construct houses because the BDA has not provided any facilities. Now, we will have to hire labourers to clear the debris. When will the government develop the layout?” he wondered.

Sewage treatment plant The residents allege that since a sewage treatment plant is being constructed near Byrathi Khane, it is a contractor hired by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board who is unloading the debris here.

Dumping construction debris is also a violation of the Environment Act of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), which has directed all contractors and civic agencies to ensure that construction debris is dumped at designated dumping yards on the city’s outskirts.

Reacting to this, Venkatesh, Executive Engineer, BDA, North division, said that a case was registered at the local police station two months ago. But he was unable to explain why dumping had not stopped and how many trucks were seized.

He said the matter had come to his notice and discussions were held with the BWSSB local engineer also to look into the matter.  Directions have been issued to the BDA police and local police to keep a vigil at night and stop trucks from dumping waste.