Garbage plant row: Ramdas launches indefinite fast

The indefinite hunger protest, launched by former minister S A Ramdas at the Sewage Farm, here, which is the cause for air pollution due to excess garbage, began on Thursday, as 'Swachha Usirigagi Horata'.

The protest has the support of various organisations, schools and colleges. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Excel solid waste management plant at Vidyaranyapuram. They complained that 450 tonne of garbage is received at the plant which can process only 150 tonne per day.

"So, the excess garbage is accumulated with every passing day. The authorities concerned should put a cap on the garbage entering the Excel plant as the unregulated dumping is causing health hazards. Besides, non-segregated waste, animal carcass, animal waste, bio-medical waste, building debris and also chemical waste are being dumped," they complained.

Before the protest, a sapling was planted at the Sewage Farm in the presence of seer Gurushantha of Kuderu Mutt, former minister V Srinivas Prasad, entrepreneur B S Prashanth, Corporator B V Manjunath, and BJP leader Ka Pu Siddalinga Swamy.

When the protesters tried to enter the Sewage Farm to plant the saplings, they were not allowed. This lead to a spat between the officials and the protesters. The officials said that they would be allowed inside only if the MCC commissioner permits them. MCC Commissioner G Jagadish intervened and let the protesters in.

The protesters said, there are nine more solid waste management units under the Mysuru City Corporation, but eight of them are not functioning due to the negligence of the officials. "All the units should be made operational to process the waste. Besides, immediate steps should be taken to generate power from waste to solve the problem permanently," they demanded.

As hundreds of protesters are taking part in the indefinite strike, Police have upped security in the vicinity. The protesters were provided with masks to cover their nose and mouth as a precautionary measure.