Mandur dumping to end in five months; govt to give it in writing

Under pressure to avoid a garbage pile up crisis, the state government on Monday agreed to give a written undertaking to Mandur residents that dumping of waste in the landfills near the village would end in the next five months.

Speaking to reporters in the City after a review meeting on the functioning of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Transport Minister R Ramalinga Reddy, who is also the Bangalore Urban district in-charge minister, said the Mandur residents have agreed to allow the dumping of garbage for five months till alternative sites are readied. 

A written undertaking will be prepared by the office of the chief secretary in consultation with the BBMP commissioner either on Tuesday or Wednesday, he said. 

Earlier, the government had sought six months, but Mandur residents had rejected the proposal. The government had, so far, not explained as to why it was buying time. 

Reddy said the government was scouting for at least four alternative sites for garbage disposal. 

The practice of dumping garbage would be done away with and solid waste management units would be set up at the new sites. 

Reddy admitted that there would be opposition from local residents once the government finalises alternative sites.

“We went to Anekal to look at a particular site. We were there at the location hardly for 10 minutes when I got a call from the Anekal MLA not to select the site,” Reddy said. 

However, he added that the BBMP would convince residents by citing that solid waste management units would be installed at the garbage disposal sites.