KSPCB officials face threat from engineers

The officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Borad (KSPCB) in the City are said to be facing threats for booking 32 cases against contractors and engineers of the BBMP and the BWSSB for various lapses and violations.

The KSPCB officials are now planning to approach the High Court of Karnataka and other local courts as well as Bangalore City police commissioner seeking protection for discharging their duties.

Top sources in the KSPCB told Deccan Herald: “Many officials, especially field staff are facing threats from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) engineers and contractors because of cases booked against them. All these cases pertain to garbage and sewage menace. Officials and contractors working for these civic agencies are threatening KSPCB officials. Some are also from transport companies.”

Following the threats, the staff is unable to carry out their routine work, go on field inspections and attend to complaints from people.

“We will soon write a letter to High Court and City police commissioner requesting them to provide us with security. Requests will also be placed before other courts during the hearing of cases. Compared to other cities in Karnataka, threats are more in Bengaluru,” a source said.

In the last one year, garbage menace has increased manifold like mixing of solid and liquid waste, burning garbage, contaminating ground water and vehicular pollution.

The High Court too had taken note of increasing pollution levels and instructed KSPCB to control it. But while performing its duty, safety of the KSPCB staff is at risk. “The situation now is that civic officials hate the KSPCB staff and we are being told not to create ‘kranthi.’ This is the reason why despite too many irregularities in various wards, no cases have been booked this year,” the source added.

This is not the first time pollution control board officers have faced threats. U V Singh, presently additional principal chief conservator of forests, Karnataka Medicinal Plants Authority, faced many threats when he was posted in Lake Development Authority and the Lokayukta.

He faced threats while unearthing illegal sand mining on the City outskirts and saving lakes in and around Hebbal.