Garbage menace continues to haunt Hassan

Garbage menace continues to haunt Hassan city, although the City Municipal Council (CMC) is trying all methods to find a permanent solution to the problem. Heaps of garbage are seen on public places, in most of the residential areas in the city.

Vacant sites have turned into garbage dumping yards, causing a lot of inconvenience to the residents nearby. They complain of unbearable stench emanating from the sites which have turned into breeding places for mosquitoes and rodents. This has created a fear of epidemic outbreak. The cattle are under threat due to feeding on the garbage and plastic waste.

Despite a ban on plastics, hotels and restaurants continue to use plastic wrappers for parcels. Though the CMC is conducting awareness campaigns against unscientific garbage disposal, the public seems to neglect it.

72 tonnes of garbage

The city produces 72 tonnes of garbage every day. The garbage collected from houses, hotels and others are collected at Agile solid waste management unit. The garbage from Sakleshpur town is also dumped here.

There are allegations that tipper vehicles meant to collect garbage do not visit all localities. The city has failed in segregation of waste at source. If scientific waste management is not adopted, Hassan CMC would draw the wrath of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The NGT has directed that seepage of chemicals may affect the underground water table. The waste should be segregated at houses mandatorily. It has also asked to set up sewage treatment plant to produce manure, that can be supplied to farmers at economical price.

CMC Commissioner R Krishnamurthy said that despite holding awareness programmes, the residents still feel that disposing of waste in the garbage vehicles is a punishment.

“Hence, it is impossible to ask them to segregate wet and dry waste. The garbage is segregated by the CMC at Agile. There is no shortage of funds or place to set up e-waste units. But, it is difficult to get required equipment to operate it,” he opined.