Vamanjoor’s garbage problem worsens

Vamanjoor’s garbage problem worsens

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 24: The Mangalore City Corporation appears to be helpless against the town municipalities of Mulky, Moodubidri, and Karkala, which have been illegally dumping their garbage in and around the MCC’s dumping yard at Vamanjoor. Garbage trucks from Mulky, Moodubidri, and Karkala are arriving at Vamanjoor twice or thrice daily and dumping the garbage of those towns around the MCC’s dumping yard. 

To make matters worse, the trucks have begun emptying the garbage near a housing colony. This has given a headache not only to the MCC, but also the police and the district administration. The residents of the housing colony, in a 400-strong group, approached the Commissioner of MCC Dr. Vijay Prakash, Mayor Rajani Dugganna, District-in-charge Minister Krishna J Palemar, Chairman of the Coastal Area Development Authority Mr. Nagaraj Shetty, and DC Mr. V Ponnuraj to discuss the problem. 

Ramesh Poojary of Mangalore, who is leading the campaign against illegal dumping of garbage at Vamanjoor, said that around 10 trucks arrive at the dumping yard daily and dump the garbage at night. Although the KUIDFC officials in charge of the dumping yard deny the matter, the guards of the recycle plant have admitted that garbage trucks have been arriving at night from the past three months. When the guards stopped the trucks to make enquiry, they were threatened by rowdies who were in the trucks. 

In a memorandum submitted to the district administration, Mr. Poojary has complained that illegal dumping was being done close to a housing colony and that this is having an adverse effect on the 1,500 families living there. Mr. Poojary has stated that the people are already complaining of a variety of medical problems such as chest infections, breathing problems, loss of appetite, and others. Besides, the garbage is giving out an unbearable stench, making life unbearable for the residents. The women and children have already begun complaining of multiple health problems. 

Ironically, MCC’s higher officials feel that is too early to give any statement. They say that only the MCC can legally dump garbage in the area. The municipal authorities of Moodubidri and Karkala deny that garbage is being dumped at Vamajoor. Instead, they have pinned the blame of contractors who might be dumping the garbage without the knowledge of the municipal authorities. 

MLA of Moodubidri and Mulky Mr. Abhaychandra is reported to have said that MCC must allow the town municipalities to dump garbage into its official dumping yard in order to save land.