Only half-hearted work done by BBMP

BANGALORE: When, a few days ago, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) cleaned the drains in Sarvagnanagar, everyone was left pleasantly surprised by the move. But any effort that is taken goes in vain when the execution of the task is not done in an organised manner. A simple act of ‘kindness’ by the authorities has left residents wishing that the drains were never cleared.Ten days ago, the BBMP workers started cleaning the drains in the area which thankfully got rid of the stench and the associated health hazards. However, what wasn’t expected was the situation where the waste cleared would be outside the drains making matters much worse for the commuters and residents alike. ‘What you don’t see does not hurt you’ that was the condition while the filth was still inside the drains.The litter dumped has not only attracted pests and insects but also occupied a considerable amount of road space. N Eshwara Prasad, a senior citizen, said “The problem is not only limited to the filth from the drains. Garbage is often dumped near Shobna Memorial School and as a result eats into the road space there as well. One has to make way through the filth that has been graciously left by the authorities.”The region is also known for the St Aloysius Group of Institutions which brings with several hundreds of people who use the area to traverse to their schools, colleges or workplace. The pedestrians are the worst affected. Be it crossing the road to get through and not knowing where to place your next step or worrying about how they are going to make their way home unscathed, they are left waiting for action to be taken.The queues that emerge due to this are also no less troublesome. Commuting through the stretch becomes a huge issue as the width of the road is considerably reduced due to the garbage dumped.The frequent rains add to the problems. The water leaves the garbage damp exuding unbearable stench. Jai Barnard, another resident, remarked, “The absence of footpaths leaves us with nowhere to walk.”NS Ravi is the president of Bharathi Nagar Residents Forum. He asserted, “This keeps happening every year. It has become a routine for us. I hope the authorities act soon.”The local corporator of the area is G Bhuvaneshwari. She said, “I will ensure that the area is cleared and all the garbage and filth is disposed as soon as possible.”