Stinking experience in these lanes

Stinking experience in these lanes
Williams Town, Fraser Town Choked With Heaps Of Uncleared Garbage
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: Residents in this part of town have to not only bear with irregular waste disposal, but also disappearing roads. While garbage is collected from some areas only once a week or so, it is left to rot in other parts, eating into road space.
Last week, Pottery Town and Fraser Town were choked with undisposed garbage. The lorries that collect waste every morning could not enter the area for various reasons. As a result, garbage collected from households was left to rot on the streets, blocking the narrow lanes. It was not cleared for five days. But, this is not the first time this has happened.
Residents of Williams Town, Cleveland Road and Coles Road are accustomed to the stinking presence. Williams Town, II Main has a government school, temple and church. But heaps of waste are piled up on the street corner. “This attracts cows, dogs and crows, making the area unhygienic and unsafe for children,” the school watchman says. Heaps of waste are seen right next to ‘Do Not Litter’ messages on the walls. The residents are frustrated and desperate for a solution.
“We have heard many excuses over the years. For the past few months, the authorities are citing protests on the outskirts against dumping in the landfills, or against the low wages. We are the ones who suffer at the end of the day,” a resident says.
Where is the road?
There is a road in the area that has been a dumping ground for waste, not just for the past few days, but many years! At first glance, it looks like a regular pile of garbage next to the open drain near Mosque Road. However, this pile was once a half-kilometre service lane connecting Moore Road to Mosque Road.
For years, the lane has been out of sight and out of bounds. “We have tried all possible means to get it back into service, but in vain,’’ former Fraser Town corporator Pradeep Kumar Reddy says. Over the seasons, the drain and the road next to it have been damaged and neglected.
It started with the drain retention wall collapsing. Desilting work resulted in waste and silt from the drain flowing onto the road. It has remained so till date. The retention wall is yet to be rebuilt, and desilting is carried out only once in years, say residents. In the absence of maintenance, the road has today become a dumping ground. The drain’s vents are clogged, choking the free flow of water in it.
What is surprising is the stretch of the lane towards the Moore Road end — leading to Netaji Road — is in good condition. Residents say BBMP joint commissioner (East) inspected the place two months back. Engineers were instructed to construct a wall and clear the debris, but not action has been taken yet.
MESS ALL AROUND
Garbage collected from households is left to rot on the streets, blocking the narrow lanes Heaps of waste are seen right next to ‘Do Not Litter’ boards Road next to a drain on Mosque Road in Fraser Town lies in a state of neglect
REASONS CITED
Protests against using landfills on outskirts for dumping garbage Protests by workers for more wages

TELLING APATHY: Garbage in Pottery Town was left uncleared for five days. (Right) This service lane in Fraser Town is no more a road