Bannimantap’s rampant garbage crisis exposed

MCC’s much-publicised ‘Operation Night Raid’, to combat illegal garbage dumping loses momentum

Mysore/Mysuru: A visit to Bannimantap reveals a troubling shift in Mysuru’s cleanliness status, once celebrated as the cleanest city in the country.

The area is now plagued by heaps of garbage dumped along the roadside and a foul odour from unattended wet and dry waste. Raja Kaluve, a key drainage channel, is choked with waste and overgrown weeds, obstructing water flow and creating stagnant pools that serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects.

Unhygienic conditions are prevalent throughout Bannimantap, including Jodi Thenginamara Road, Bannimantap Industrial ‘A’ Layout, and Hanumanthanagar. Despite the dire state of cleanliness in these areas, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has made little progress in addressing the issue.

The problem extends beyond Bannimantap, affecting various parts of the city. Yet, the MCC appears to have taken no significant action, even as the threat of dengue looms large.

Notably, Jodi Thenginamara Road is marred by a dangerous sinkhole, roughly four feet deep, which locals have attempted to cover with plants and bricks as a warning to motorists. However, the MCC is yet to address this hazard.

Garbage dumped along all roads

Garbage collected from various areas is often dumped along roadsides. The footpath near the burial ground is littered with trash, and MCC’s auto tippers, loaded with waste, are parked on the roadside before heading to disposal units, exacerbating the unhygienic conditions.

Ironically, the MCC has struggled to find an appropriate site for garbage disposal. Raja Kaluve near the crematorium, which passes through Hanumanthanagar, emanates a foul smell due to the garbage thrown into it, troubling residents of homes funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). This situation casts doubt on the MCC’s competence.

The much-publicised ‘Operation Night Raid’, intended to combat illegal garbage dumping, seems to have lost momentum. While MCC officials initially showed enthusiasm for these night-time raids, the problem of roadside garbage has resurfaced, with litter accumulating near the Hanumanthanagar Primary Health Centre (PHC) and in vacant plots.