Sides of Hosur road lined with filth

BANGALORE: Waste management is a perennial issue and localities between Silk Board Junction and Electronic City are no exceptions. The stretch of road that passes via Chandapura and Bommasandra looks like the aftermath of an open garbage van that drove past it on a windy day. Market waste, household litter, plastic disposed by vendors, and other scrap material like tins, tyres and bottles are strewn all along in these areas.  The disposal of garbage at these junctions are managed by companies on contract with the local panchayat committee, say a shopkeeper in the area. On market days, the situation is worse as thousands gather around the circle to sell and buy products. The wastes of day are then dumped under the fly over at different places. Any downpour after a market day leads to the entire place looking like an extension of a landfill. “There have been instances where plastic covers or paper have flow on to a driver’s face thereby blinding him and resulting in an accident,” says Nagappa, a shopkeeper in the area. Joseph , the Chandapura Panchayath Development Officer told City Express that the vendors in the market are provided with an area enclosed by concrete rings to throw garbage but inevitably these rings are broken and garbage is thrown all over the place. “Collection and disposal of garbage is given to a contractor from the local area. Also, two tractors are provided to him. The waste from the market is collected every Monday,” he adds. At Bommasandra, the Panchayat provides dustbins in front of shops on Hosur Road and the garbage is cleared regularly. But the place in front of Manjunatha timber looks like a garbage dumping yard. “The waste is dumped from nearby houses as well as shops. The place has been neglected by the authority for a long time,” says Nagesh the owner of the shop.The Development Officer of Chandapura Panchayath promised that this issue will be looked into. “The issue of disposal of garbage is one of my primary concerns. I would bring this up in the next meeting with the higher officials.”