Waste Disposal Crisis Brews in Bengaluru as Residents Block Garbage Trucks

A crisis seems to be brewing over the disposal of waste from Bengaluru at designated processing and dumping yards after villagers residing near Bellahalli (Mahadevapura constituency) and Chigaranahalli (Doddaballapur constituency) stopped garbage trucks from entering these units. Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar, taking exception to the same, alleged that the trucks being blocked was a ‘blackmailing tactic’ employed by BJP legislators and threatened to dump the waste either in front of BJP MLAs’ houses or at the street where the state BJP office is located. While the residents of Bellahalli have blocked the entry of trucks since Tuesday, Chigaranahalli residents, accompanied by Doddaballapur BJP MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, stopped the trucks Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, Muniraju said they have long opposed the waste-processing and dumping plant at Chigaranahalli and had even approached the courts on the issue. “Our demand is that waste should not be processed or dumped here,” he said. Shivakumar, in response, said the MLAs were stopping the trucks to ‘blackmail’ the government and secure more funds. “I will be forced to initiate action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act. May it be MLA or anyone else (who stopped the trucks), we will be merciless and dump the waste in front of their houses or near the street in front of the BJP office,” he said. If the BJP leaders are stopping the disposal of waste, “it should either go to (Leader of Opposition R) Ashoka’s house or (BJP state president BY) Vijayendra’s house or the BJP office,” he said. He added that the current dispensation was using the same waste disposal facilities as the previous government. “Who are they blackmailing? We should be able to dispose of the waste properly,” the DyCM added. When it was pointed out that a recent accident had prompted the villagers of Bellahalli to stop the trucks, Shivakumar said there could have been a mistake. “But citing it to stop trucks transporting waste is wrong. We have purchased two more sites (to dispose of waste). We have called a tender (for waste processing units). There are legal issues which are being set right,” Shivakumar added.