Even as Mandur residents are protesting against garbage generated in Bangalore city from being dumped into landfills in their village, they are facing yet another problem that adds to the existing one. A private school in Mandur is allegedly dumping garbage into storm-water drain besides letting sewage flow into it.
Residents and plot owners in Mandur have complained that mounds of garbage is being dumped into a storm-water drain and sewage is being let into it creating problems for people in the neighbourhood. B.R. Uday Kumar, who owns farmland near the school, said the stench was unbearable.
“We grow vegetables on our farmland and the dirty water enters the farmland. We have filed police complaints and have also approached the the panchayat authorities for redressal of the problem, but in vain. Last month, we filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board as well,” he added.
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A visit to the site near New Baldwin’s International Residential School, Budigere Cross, Mandur Road, revealed that the school was dumping mounds of garbage into the storm-water drain and letting sewage flow into it.
Reacting to the accusation, Venugopal T., founder and chairperson of the school, admitted they were indeed letting sewage flow into the storm-water drain. “We have a sewage treatment plant inside our school premises and treat sewage generated in the school there. We only let the soap water that remains after washing clothes into the drain. We are helpless as there are no alternative arrangements for letting it out.” Section 33 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, prohibits people from polluting water in any stream. Sources in KSPCB said action will be taken after the officers concerned visit the spot. If they have violated the Water Act, they will be asked to remove and dispose of the effluents.
“If they do not comply, a criminal case can be booked against them under the Act,” a board official said.
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