Express News Service By

BENGALURU: Bommanahalli constituency MLA Satish Reddy from BJP on Thursday threatened Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) that trucks ferrying garbage from the city would be prevented from coming into the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) unit located in his constituency.

This poses an extra challenge for BBMP, which is already facing the wrath from villagers living near various landfill sites. Satish Reddy, who had come for the BBMP’s monthly council meeting, said that though BBMP must send only 100 tonnes of vegetable waste to KCDC for composting as per the agreement, it was sending more than 300 tonnes of waste and that too, mixed waste.

Reddy added that the situation in his constituency was turning out to be worse than that of Mandur. The area stinks for over a four to five-km radius of the KCDC unit. Residents of the area are suffering from dengue and other ailments, he said.

“If this continues, I, along with the local resident welfare association members, will stop trucks from Saturday. Bommanahalli residents are not sending waste to this unit, but from other constituencies we are bearing it,” he said. He blamed the Congress government for it. “We will not allow more than 100 trucks,” he added.

Reddy has also invited Mayor, BBMP Commissioner Kumar Naik and othAer authorities to stay for a night near KCDC. “I will arrange for lodging and boarding. You will know how the people are suffering there,” he added.

Later, Mayor Manjunath Reddy directed the BBMP Commissioner to take the KCDC unit to BBMP control. “We are spending money on it. KCDC was supposed to maintain it. But it is not doing so,” he said.

Bommanahalli Chief Engineer Bettegowda said that they have already instructed KCDC staff not to take unsegregated waste. “Now that the Mayor has directed to take it under BBMP control, we will put our staff on it and maintain it. Also, the KCDC unit’s capacity will be enhanced to 500 tonnes for which BBMP will be responsible for better maintenance,” he said.