The Hindu 27.08.2012
Citizens can now breathe easy as BBMP launches cleaning drive
People assured of city being completely clean by Monday
Citizens can begin to breathe easy now as the city is
slowly returning to normality with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara
Palike (BBMP) launching a cleaning drive to make up for the garbage
pile-up of the last five days. However, the Sunday afternoon deadline
for the task was not met. So, citizens in some parts of the city will
have to endure the dirt and stench till Monday.
Even
though the cleaning process was on in full swing on Sunday, the backlog
could not be cleared by afternoon. But a BBMP official said that people
can be assured of the city being completely clean by Monday as routine
collection will start then.
“All backlog cleaning will be done on Monday along with routine collection,” the official said.By Sunday evening, nearly 2,000 tonnes of waste was collected across the city.
BBMP
Commissioner M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda carried out an inspection on
Saturday to look at the extent of damage due to the garbage pile-up,
caused by a combination of factors, including the strike by contract
pourakarmikas and the resistance put up by residents of Mavallipura
against garbage being dumped in the landfill there. He had promised that
garbage would be cleared by Sunday afternoon.
However,
the major issue of landfills still persists. The palike has postponed
the submission of the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the Mavallipura
landfill yet again to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board
(KSPCB). The KSPCB may or may not lift the closure order on Mavallipura
on submission of the report.
On this, Mr.
Shankarlinge Gowda said, “Nothing can be done overnight.” On whether any
action will be taken against Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd., which
maintains the Mavallipura landfill, he said a decision would be taken in
a few days.
- 2,000 tonnes of waste collected till Sunday evening
- Piled-up garbage to be cleared with routine collection