Residents protest against HDMC for burning garbage

DHARWAD: Over a hundred residents from Hosayellapur, Jannath Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Rajatgiri and surrounding areas backed by the Congress leaders held a rasta roko by blocking the busy Hubballi-Dharwad road near Suvarna Petrol bunk in Dharwad on Friday.
The residents were up in arms against the HDMC for continuing to burn waste at the landfill in Hosayellapur.
As the protesters did not heed requests of the police and continued blocking the road, the police took the residents and Congress leaders into custody and cleared the road for traffic.
Addressing the protesters Congressman Deepak Chinchore said that people in eight areas in and around Hosayellapur were gasping for clean quality air.
They were in the constant fear of developing respiratory problems and forced to close all the doors and windows to protect their health. Thick smoke has engulfed the entire area from Gandhi Nagar Circle till NTTF, he said.
The ash are flying from the garbage site was settling on the utensils and clothes. Fearing that they may catch a deadly disease, the people have stopped coming out of their homes after sunset.
Even, they were forced to close their doors and windows to prevent the flying ash entering their house. Repeated appeals to civic authorities have not yielded any result and the garbage burning is on, unabated.
Basu Malipatil, a resident of Hosayellapur, said that the Solid Waste Management (SWM) plant with a capacity of 200 metric tonne has been set up here but the waste collected every day and dumped here is over 450 metric tonnes. It means that not even 50% of the waste is managed. The waste dumped here is being lit and this is causing severe problems.
Children and senior citizens have rashes on their skin, burning in the eyes and respiratory problems. He urged the HDMC to move the landfill from Hosayellapur and protect the lives of people.