Uncleared garbage greets Minister

Uncleared garbage greets Minister

The Hindu

Chennigappa directs officials to clean the Yeshwantpur APMC Yard twice a day

# BMP officials told to take up cleaning of the market
# Farmers, traders complain about lack of facilities at the yard
# MLA wants market shifted to Byatarayanapura


Bangalore: "The condition of the market is terrible. Why have the officials not submitted a report in this regard?" C. Chennigappa, Minister for Environment and Forests, asked officials of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) during a visit to the APMC Yard at Yeshwanthpur on Tuesday.

On seeing the deplorable conditions of the market, the Minister directed the officials of hte APMC, who were present on the occasion, to conduct weekly meetings and make sure that the market was cleaned twice a day.

He directed the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) officials to take up cleaning of the market.

"Let the BMP take up the cleaning work for five days. The amount spent by them can be cut from the payment made to the contactor and given to them," he said.

The Minister directed the BMP officials to spray DDT in the yard. "People are sure to contract diseases if they work in such filthy surroundings," he said.

He directed the BMP health officials to inspect the cleaning of the yard henceforth.

BMP Health Officer (West) Devaki Umesh said garbage from the yard would be collected and dumped in Rajanakunte, near Dodballapur.

Lack of facilities

The farmers and traders complained about the lack of facilities at the yard.

They said that the yard lacked proper roads, rest house and did not have drinking water facility. The Minister assured the farmers of action and said he would discuss the issue with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Mr. Chennigappa said a notice would be issued by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KPSCB) if the APMC officials did not improve infrastructure at the market.

Rajajinagar MLA N.L. Narendra Babu said a scientific dumping yard should be set up.

He said the contractor in-charge of cleaning the market should be blacklisted. "We need to have a sound solid waste management system," he said.

He said the market should be shifted from the yard to Byatarayanapura. Mr. Chennigappa said that he would discuss the matter with Mr. Kumaraswamy.

Unauthorised apartments

Later, speaking to presspersons, the Minister said several apartments had been constructed unauthorisedly on lakebeds and on Government land. According to the A.T. Ramaswamy Commission report, the property would be worth several crores of rupees.

"Several developers have obtained permission to construct the apartments from the BMP and the Bangalore Development Authority. Henceforth, they will have to get the permission from five departments, including BDA, BMP, and KSPCB," the Minister added.