The Observer Volume 19, Issue 2

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The Observer An IIJNM publication

Residents of Bannerghatta Road and JP Nagar suffer due to bad roads; there’s garbage menace too | P2

Vol 19, Issue 2

Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in

Open drains on Mysuru Road; residents complain of stink, Panchayat takes no steps | P2

Reasons: Poor enforcement and old habits Shoby Krishna

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Akshay Heblikar, director and trustee of Ecowatch, an NGO, says that the community has to take steps to protect the environment | Credit: Shoby Krishna

easy availability and management. Even though there is a proper waste- segregation bin set up by BBMP near my shop, people still use the bin with plastic bin liners,” B.M. Bharath Bushan, a shopkeeper on Nrupathunga Road who has used plastic bin liners for the past 18 years, said. “I have used plastic bin liners only for the past six years. Previously, a BBMP truck collected waste directly from dustbins, but now since we use plastic bin liners, it is easy to clean dustbins,” P. Kumarswamy, who has run a

Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Despite BBMP ban on plastics, shopkeepers use bin liners lastic bin liners, banned by BBMP in 2016, are still used by shopkeepers in Bengaluru because of weak enforcement. The BBMP’s health department has focused on banning plastic because it is harmful to people and animals. “We have been telling street vendors for the past one month to use alternatives and have placards asking customers to bring their own bags,” Dr Balasundar A.S., BBMP’s chief health officer (west zone), informed The Observer. Ahead of the strict enforcement of the ban, BBMP launched an awareness campaign on July 15 against the use of plastics. But, interestingly, Bengaluru mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun paid a Rs 500 fine on August 3 for giving chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa gifts wrapped in a plastic cover, according to news reports. Data from the BBMP health department shows that till August 29, 2.5 lakh kg of plastics had been seized from the city’s 198 wards. “Using paper bags for commercial waste disposal is difficult. We use plastic bin liners because of

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shop on the same road for 25 years, said. The BBMP circular clearly mentions the banned items and exemptions. Penalties are imposed under Section 431(A) of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2013. The circular also mentions that the penalty for commercial users of plastic covers is Rs 25, 000 for the first offence. Though they are aware of the penalty and waste segregation guidelines, shopkeepers continue to use plastic bin liners. Sunil Kumar, manager of Sri

Manjunatha Silk Udyog, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road, said: “We are aware of the penalty which is why we don’t give shoppers plastic bags; we offer cloth bags. We use plastic bin liners only for external use waste disposal.” The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018, specify that it is the responsibility of waste generators, be it individuals or commercial establishments, to segregate waste and hand it over to the local bodies. Akshay Heblikar, director and trustee of Ecowatch, an NGO, said: “Ultimately, it is the people, the community, which has to take steps... to protect the environment. The government agencies and bodies are there to regulate and not all the time implement.” According to BBMP website, Bengaluru generates 3,500 tonnes of solid waste every day. Of this, 12% is plastic waste. Shopkeepers use plastic bin liners to dispose of waste without segregating it. The BBMP circular says it is necessary to ban plastics as they damage the environment and people’s health. Enforcement, on the other hand is influenced by a variety of factors such as the will of the people to follow the rules. Plastics have been banned not only in Karnataka, but also in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana. This is in line with the national goal of banning all single-use plastics by 2022. shoby.k@iijnm.org

News briefs National l The IAF inducted eight USmade Apache AH-64E attack helicopters on Tuesday, which will give a major boost to its combat capabilities, officials said. l Pressure groups in the states near Assam have stepped up vigil to ensure “doubtful citizens” excluded from the updated National Register of Citizens do not sneak into their areas. Local l BMRCL plans to induct more six-car metro trains on the Green Line from October. International l Hong Leader leader Carrie Lam has said that she has never asked the Chinese government to let her resign to end the city's political crisis, responding to a Reuters report about a voice recording of her saying she would step down if she could. Sports l India completed an 2-0 series sweep against West Indies when they won the second test by 257 runs in Jamaica on Monday after the hosts' batsman Darren Bravo was replaced by a concussion substitute after retiring hurt l Belinda Bencic stunned topranked defending champion Naomi Osaka on Monday to reach a U.S. Open quarter-final against Donna Vekic, who rescued a match point to advance.

Weather Forecast: Light showers Maximum: 25 degrees Celsius Minimum: 21 degrees Celsius Humidity: 80% Precipitation: 71%

Citizens struggle on roads, BBMP says wait till 2022 Tamanna Yasmin

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igging of roads is causing misery to citizens in parts of Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura zone. The affected areas include Horamavu, Varanasi Main Road, Kalkere, Babusabpalya, TC Palya, and NRI Layout. The onset of monsoon has worsened the situation. The residents say they have not seen good roads for the past two years. BBMP, BWSSB, Bescom and GAIL have dug up roads and left them damaged. Commuters

BBMP, BWSSB, Bescom and GAIL have dug up roads and left them damaged | Credit: Tamanna Yasmin

meet with accidents. No early resolution is in sight. The BBMP says the roads will be repaired by 2022. Residents, particularly children and senior citizens, suffer breathing problems due to dust emitted during the civic works. They say BBMP has taken little action despite numerous complaints. Bheemappa Bandikeri, a resident of Kalkere, informed The Observer: “They have been digging the roads from almost two years. They don’t seem to have any deadline to complete the

work. We see people falling on roads almost every day. I’ve filed many complaints using the BBMP Sahaya App. They are least bothered. The app shows ‘complaint resolved’ without the problem even being attended to.” VVS Rao, another resident, said: “Roads in Horamavu are very dangerous for commuters. My wife drops my kid every day to school using this road. I’m worried about their safety. Contractors who dig the roads are least bothered about the public.” Protests go unheeded, P 2


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