Life in the surroundings of Excel Solid Waste Management Plant (Sewage Farm) at Vidyaranyapuram has become nightmarish for thousands of residents with unbearable stench emanating out of the plant 24×7 and 365 days. Star of Mysore spoke to a few residents of the area who had assembled at the plant for an indefinite protest that began yesterday. Living near the sewage plant, they narrate their ordeal.

“We are forced to live here and life has become miserable. We cannot open the doors and windows of our houses due to the foul smell from the Sewage Farm. We spend the day at our school and as soon as we come home, the smell starts. It is very difficult to have food and most of the nights we just lie on our beds, smelling the rot.”

— Sandhya Dutt, Eighth Standard, JSS Public School

“We have been living in this area since the last three years. Initially we came here to live a quality life without realising the bad effects of the treatment plant. Living happily is tough as the bad smell is constant in our day-to-day lives. Nobody hears our woes and we are ashamed to say that we reside in Vidyaranyapuram. Such is our plight. We want a permanent solution.”

— Snehal, Sankalp Apartments

“It is difficult to concentrate on studies with the smell which has become a permanent factor. I and many of my friends have fallen ill many times and whenever we get ready to eat something at our homes, the bad smell coming out of the plant gives us a queasy feeling in the stomach.”

— Poornima, First PUC, Sharada Vidya Mandir

“We have been living here since 20 years and the smell is just unbearable. While the smell is a little bit less during summer due to heat, the stench is dominating in winter and rainy season. The worst is the smell of putrefaction (rotting process) of animal waste. All the animal waste generated in the city and the unsold fish are thrown here. I have seen politicians promising a permanent solution since the last 20 years but so far, all the assurances have remained in paper. Sometimes we think enough is enough and want to shift from this place.”

— Usha G. Prasad, Brigade Apartments

SOLID WASTE PLANT – FACT FILE

The site of the solid waste management plant was originally 382 acres of land granted by Maharajas of Mysore.

Maharajas gave the land to grow grass for the cattle owned by residents and for the animals sheltered in Mysore Pinjrapole Society.

Also, the grass was meant to be grown for the herbivorous animals at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens.

Vidyaranyapuram that abuts the Sewage Farm was formed 70 years ago. The adjoining JP Nagar was formed 40 years ago.

The Excel Treatment Plant was set up under JnNURM project in 1996. Solid waste is treated here daily to produce compost.

At present, the Sewage Farm can process 160 tonnes of solid waste per day. But it handles waste beyond its capacity as the city generates around 450 tonnes of garbage daily.

The root cause of the stench is that animal, biomedical and chemical wastes are mixed with garbage and dumped at the Sewage Farm.