Open drain near school, blood bank spell trouble

BANGALORE: New Tippasandra is often claimed to be a garbage free ward under the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP). However, on a closer look the whole perception will change, as residents near the Post office complained accumulation of garbage and open drain near a blood bank and school.To top it all, the drain is choked with garbage. When City Express visited the spot, we found some people using the drain to urinate. R Rajagopal Shastri, a resident of the locality pointed out, “Everyday garbage is dumped near the blood bank, which is supposed to be situated in the most hygienic atmosphere.The blood bank has put up a board not to dispose garbage near its premises.Hence, they have dumped it little away, but opposite the blood bank.” He further added, “Due to lack of civic sense on the part of a few citizens, they use the drain near the Poorna Prajna High school to attend to nature’s call and hence the school authorities have increased the height of the school wall.” Voicing a similar opinion, Das, another resident said, “The civic workers never clear the drain which is filled with waste.Mostly they burn the waste accumulated as they do not want to clear it on a regular basis.” Das also informed City Express, “Recently, a truck hit a culvert and damaged it. It has been a week and nobody has bothered to restore it back.” We also found a open drain near Major Sylvester Rajesh Ratnam Park maintained by the BBMP. Manju Kumar, a resident said, “The children in the area play cricket at the playground in front of the park.On many occasions the ball falls in the open drain and they go out looking for the ball inside the drain, which is very unhygienic. Authorities should consider this and make arrangements to cover these drains.” When City Express contacted the Joint Commissioner of East Zone, Shivshankar, he said, “We have allowed people and civic workers to dispose off the garbage near the blood bank because the residents have agreed to it.If they are ready to show us a different place, we are willing to shift it. And as far as the littering in open drain is concerned, we can put up a board that penalty will be levied on such miscreants.”