mangalore today

Pacchanady garbage slides on house, plantations, wells contaminated


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 08, 2019: Garbage sliding down from the Mangaluru City Corporation landfill site at Pacchanady in Vamanjoor damaged  houses and has displaced 7 families of their sources of livelihood.  Water and unhygienic garbage had begun flowing from the site earlier in the week. yesterday, August 7, a huge mountain of garbage began sliding towards the adjacent areca plantations.


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“Our suffering because of the garbage for many years has got no respite. A fire at the dump, in May this year also affected our health and children developed cough and asthma. The authorities were informed, but we got no response. We are left with nothing and have to only beg for a living now,” said a farmer of the area.

A family owned 3.3 acres land. The entire land is now covered in garbage. All the 1,500 areca trees have been damaged. We cannot cultivate the land with the waste sliding and covering the entire area, stated a resident of the spot.

An open well that supplies water round the year and a pump shed with a 3 hp pump set were also covered in garbage. The well was built using black stone 15 years ago at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 lakh. The residents have no source of water now.  If the rain lashed again and more garbage fell, it will destroy more plantations.

Former Mayor Bhaskar Moily declared the slide a major tragedy. Even a stormwater drain near the site is choked. I have urged the MCC Commissioner to recompense the farmers at the earliest, he stated.

Expert report :  Environment engineer Madhu S Manohar commented, “We had taken up soil capping to extinguish the fire in May. Following heavy rain, however, the soil caps developed cracks and rainwater seeped into the garbage. Due to the force of the water, the garbage began sliding, but a portion of it was stopped at the door of a house.”

The engineer added that at least four excavators had been used to remove the garbage and create a ramp to prevent further sliding of waste. A path will be created to ease the flow of water nearby.

An expert on land-filling visited the spot on August 7, Wednesday and is expected to submit a report to the Corporation on preventive measures to be taken in future.

The Pacchanady yard gets 250 to 300 tonnes of waste daily from MCC and city.  After processing, about 50 tonnes reach the site. Garbage from Ullal and Bantwal too is destined for this place.