Waste contaminates water sources in Sullia

To solve the problems related to solid wastes, Sullia Town Panchayat had identified dumping yard at Kalcharpe. However, owing to lack of management of the waste in the dump yard, the problem of pollution has cropped up.

The locals allege that the dumping of waste without processing it is a violation of the Court order.

The garbage collected from Sullia town is being dumped in the dump yard for the last six months.

Owing to the dumping of the waste without processing it, the water in the wells and tanks in and around the dump yard has been polluted.

Disposal of waste was a major problem faced by the Town Panchayat for the last several years. Though the authorities had identified land at Ajjavara, Aletti, Dugaladka and Ubaradka, owing to stiff protest from the villagers, the authorities had to drop the proposal. In fact, the villagers of Aletti had approached the Court against the dumping of the waste at Kalcharpe.

The Court had permitted the Sullia Town Panchayat to dump the waste after laying down several conditions. The court had directed the TP to scientifically handle the waste and ensure that the people are not put to any inconvenience. However, here the Court order is not followed, alleged the villagers.

The TP had proposed to segregate the waste and process it. Unfortunately, the lorry only dumps the waste and no process is done at the unit. The dumping yard has become only a dumping ground and no scientific disposal of the waste is taking place.

Residents attribute poor garbage disposal system of the local bodies as the main cause for increase in the stray dog menace.

The open dump yards have become the feeding ground for the dogs as they scatter the garbage all over the place during their hunt for left over food in garbage heaps.

Even the gates of the dump yard remain open, giving way for the dogs. Though vermi compost units have been set up, it never converted the waste into manure. The waste is likely to enter river Payasvini during monsoon, said the villagers.

The residents said that the government has released funds worth lakhs for solid waste management unit. However, the funds have not been used effectively.

A compound wall has been constructed around the dump yard. However, there is no gate, they said.

The residents of Aletti and Peraje have decided to stage a protest if the authorities fail to solve the problem pertaining to dumping of the waste.