Garbage poses health risk in Bangalore

Sunday, November 6, 2005 (Bangalore):

After the recent chaos in the rains in Bangalore, now it's the turn of the city's major wholesale vegetable market which has been completely ignored by the Bangalore City Corporation.

For over a week, the Corporation authorities have simply not bothered to clear a dumping ground overflowing with rotten vegetables, fruits and other hazardous waste.

Even vegetable vendors are now complaining of the mess that has been left uncleared.

"For 35 years, I have been selling vegetables here. Everyday I have to give the corporation Rs 30 to sell my vegetables here. It has become so filthy. We cannot sell vegetables here any more," said a vendor.

"The stink this pileup has caused is unbearable. This city market supplies vegetables to all of Bangalore's markets. Bangaloreans have to eat from this," said Lokesh, another vendor.

Hazardous waste

Adding to the rotting vegetable stench and pileup are also medical wastes dumped from nearby hospitals, posing serious health hazards.

"The rains, the festival have all resulted in the garbage pileup. The market is flooded with this garbage. We are allowed to bring only eight trucks into this market to clear the garbage.

"For more trucks the authorities are not giving permission. If they gave permission, then we could clear all this," said Shiva Kumar, market supervisor.

Despite all the bad publicity that the Corporation got during the recent deluge for not doing their work properly, they seem to have turned a deaf ear to the citizenry.

 *Source:Website : www.ndtv.com *