Relief for Palike as garbage trucks are let into Mandur

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has heaved a sigh of relief as garbage trucks were allowed into the Mandur landfill site on Wednesday night but only for a short period.

Around 250 lorries carrying about 1,500 tonnes of waste entered the landfill site on Wednesday night with prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC being in force.

But the agitated villagers of Mandur said they would hold another protest against the dumping of waste, on June 7 when Section 144 would be lifted.

Meantime, BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana said the Palike was trying its “level best” to convince the villagers against holding another protest.

“We will send 1,500 tonnes of waste like before to the landfill site.

As the situation at Mandur was tense, the jurisdictional police imposed Section 144 from the morning of June 4 till June 6,” he added.

The villagers have maintained that besides the prohibitory orders, another reason for them to call off the protest was the arrest of 55 people on Wednesday by the Avalahalli police.

They were released that day itself. Sadashiva Acharya, member of Mandur gram panchayat, said: “We will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss how we can intensify the protest with the villagers.”

Meeting

Meanwhile, Lakshminarayana and Mandur villagers attended a meeting called by Upa Lokayukta S B Majage on Thursday. Majage said he would frequently inspect the landfill site at Mandur.

“The civic body should take measures to reduce the waste collected at Mandur landfill site as people have been suffering for long.

The BBMP should monitor commercial establishments and other organisations that produce large amounts of waste. In every ward, if biomethanisation plants are set up, the amount of garbage going to the landfill sites will go down.”

The Palike commissioner assured to take steps to reduce the garbage at the Mandur landfill site and said tenders would be called soon to process the dumped trash there.

He also mentioned the four waste processing and biomethanisation plants to be set up in the City.

“We will set up waste processing units within six to eight months,” he added.

But freedom fighter HS Doreswamy who attended the meeting refused to believe the commissioner and said it was impossible to do it in such a short time.

“We want the Section 144 to be lifted and if the police do not do so, then I along with villagers will hold the protest, defying the prohibitory orders.”