The Swachh Bharat movement appears to have no relevance in Mangaluru Assembly Constituency that has been witnessing fast urbanisation with trash being strewn all along the main roads passing through the constituency.
Mangaluru constituency is represented by U.T. Khader, who is district in-charge as well as Urban Development Minister.
Comprising Ullal City Municipal Council and Kotekar Town Panchayat besides several gram panchayats, the region has become a hub of commercial activities because of its proximity to Mangaluru city as well as educational institutions.
If one travels on National Highway 66 from Pumpwell in the city towards Talapady on the border with Kerala, one can witness several littering spots all along the road, including Ambika Road Junction, Kumpala Junction, Beeri and Talapady.
Two rivulets — Uchchila and Talapady — are also filled with discarded trash, animal waste and other garbage. The stretch falls under Ullal City Municipal Council, Kotekar Town Panchayat and Someshwara and Talapady gram panchayats.
People residing on the flanks of the NH 66 say that hundreds of vehicles enter the State every day from Kerala and many of the vehicle users throw trash after entering the State. Warning boards and threat of initiating legal action against litter-bugs have not worked, they regretted.
Meanwhile, the Thokkottu-Konaje Road that houses many educational institutions and ancillary paraphernalia too has been witnessing littering on the road flanks. Gram panchayats in the region, including Munnur, Konaje, Manjanady, Harekala and Kinya, lack proper garbage disposal system aiding littering in public places.
Meanwhile, Mr. Khader said that a four-acre site identified for landfill for Kotekar Town Panchayat and the surrounding gram panchayats was caught in a legal wrangle thereby affecting waste collection and disposal.
Though he tried to get waste collected in these areas dumped at Mangaluru City Corporation’s landfill at Pachchanady, it was not possible for paucity of space. Waste from Ullal City Municipal Council area is being dumped at the Pachchanady landfill, he said and added that the administration would soon work out a solution.