JOIN USLife stinks in this Domlur locality
The suffering began ever since a hotel was set up in the area 18 months ago. The residents of Second ‘A’ Cross Road, Second Main Road in II stage of Domlur, populated by working and retired scientists, bureaucrats, bank officers and doctors are finding themselves in helpless situation. For, redressal seems to come from no quarters, despite their knocking at the doors of all civic bodies. The management of the hotel claims that it is not causing any inconvenience to the public.
Pankaja, a resident, who also runs a small business, steps outside her shop covering her nose to overcome the nauseating stench. She is forced to do this because of the ‘illegal manhole’ is just outside her shop.
The plight of Hamsa Govindaraj’s family is even worse. The kitchen of this house is located just adjacent to the hotel’s rear. It is the portion where toilets for employees is located. “The waste is just let out. The stench is unbearable,” she says.
Ashok Kumar, vice-president of Domlur Second Stage Residents Association, states that he has not used one of the bedrooms of his house for the last one-and-a-half year. It is located right behind the hotel. “The constant noise caused by the compressor and generator is unbearable.” The noise is heard from 8 am till 11.30 pm, he said, adding that his complaint to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) yielded no response.
Association secretary, K A Perumal, states that he has received complaints from residents in this regard, frequently. “I have spoken repeatedly to hotel authorities and they state that they are paying the BWSSB a sum of Rs 3,000 per month to clear manholes and that they have applied for a separate sanitary connection.”
Hotel’s reaction
Manager of the hotel, M N Naidu, admitted that the residents faced problems earlier due to sewage discharge. “There is no problem for the last three months as cleaning is being done regularly by the BWSSB contracted staff.” Top civic authorities have visited the hotel for inspection and found no issues, he claimed.
Meanwhile, KSPCB Member Secretary, M S Gowdar said that action would be initiated against the hotel if it is found that the hotel has not taken proper waste disposal measures. “We have not received any complaint so far. Let any resident come forward with a complaint,” he added. There was no response from local BWSSB officials to repeated calls.