Filth & Fire

Rammanahalli and Alanahalli Panchayats dump waste along Lalithadripura Road and set them on fire

Mysuru: The serene green zone at the foot of Mysuru’s famed Chamundi Hill, the city’s crown jewel, is being disfigured by heaps of garbage dumped along Lalithadripura Road.

The area has turned into a dumping ground, raising questions over the city’s claim of being ‘plastic-free Mysuru.’

Despite the Mysuru City Corporation’s ongoing cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns in association with civic groups, garbage collected from the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), Rammanahalli Town Panchayat and Alanahalli Gram Panchayat limits is reportedly being dumped indiscriminately along this stretch.

The Rammanahalli Town Panchayat and Alanahalli Gram Panchayat do not have dedicated Waste Segregation and Treatment Plants. Their apparent solution is to dump the garbage at Lalithadripura.

Panchayats at fault

According to residents, garbage collection vehicles from the town and village limits regularly offload waste along the road, leaving behind mounds of plastic and other hazardous material. The fragile hill ecosystem is bearing the brunt.

Plastic bags, torn clothes, expired food packets, tea powder, fried snacks and beverage containers lie scattered in piles.

Some of the waste has also been set on fire, leaving behind half-burnt plastic that poses a threat to livestock, wildlife & human health. The stench of rotting garbage hangs in the air, while the growing piles suggest that the ‘plastic-free’ slogan remains largely on paper. The volume of waste accumulated along the stretch, they say, is proof enough.

Residents accuse the authorities of failing to dispose of the waste scientifically and instead turning the area into a permanent hazard.

Hazardous consequences

The consequences could be serious. Cattle grazing in the foothills often consume plastic along with leftover food, putting their lives at risk.

In the past, more than 20 cows died near the APMC yard on Uttanahalli Road after consuming expired fried food waste, suffering from bloating and respiratory distress. Now, Lalithadripura Road has emerged as another dumping ground, raising fears of a repeat of such incidents.

Wild animals are also being drawn towards the area. Stray dogs and domestic animals feeding on the garbage could attract predators such as leopards and jackals from the Chamundi Hill.

There have already been instances of leopards preying on dogs in the area and residents fear that such encounters could eventually put people at risk.

The situation has triggered public anger, with citizens expressing concern over the manner in which the foothills of Chamundi are being treated.

They have urged the authorities to immediately clear the garbage, stop the dumping and ensure proper scientific disposal of waste to protect the environment and public health.

A polluted sensitive green zone

Truckloads of garbage are being dumped along Lalithadripura Road every day, even though the area falls within a sensitive green zone. The stretch comes under the jurisdiction of three Local Bodies — Mysuru City Corporation, Rammanahalli Town Panchayat and Alanahalli Gram Panchayat. Yet, none of them has taken responsibility for keeping the area clean.

Vehicles belonging to the town and Gram Panchayats are offloading collected waste along the Lalithadripura stretch, leaving behind nauseating heaps of garbage that pollute the foothills. Instead of shirking responsibility by saying that the area does not fall within their limits, all three Civic Bodies must come together and clear the garbage. Public health, livestock and the fragile ecosystem of the hill are at stake and urgent action is needed.”

—Ahinda Javarappa, a resident