Electronic City residents in B’luru threaten to shun polls over stench from waste plant

Civic Issues

When asked about the smell, a senior engineer working at the plant told TNM, “Yes, the smell is there, but it is not harmful or causing nausea or vomiting.”

Soumya Chatterjee

Reports of rural pockets threatening to boycott elections as a mark of protest against authorities are not unheard of, but this may be a first for urban areas. Residents of Electronic City Phase-II in Bengaluru say that they have no other option but to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to make authorities act on the issue of the stench emanating from a solid waste management plant located nearby. When asked about the odour, a senior engineer working at the plant questioned the protests and told TNM, “Yes, the smell is there, but it is not harmful or causing nausea or vomiting.” The Chikkanagamangala plant, run by BBMP, had started functioning in April 2018 in full capacity. The residents have been holding multiple protests since December 2018 against the issue and have approached the authorities multiple times but the stench has not stopped. While a section of residents want the plant to be shut down as it was not part of the Master Plan of the city, some others have demanded that the standard operating procedure be followed for handling waste. Resident activist Pranay Dubey said, “Now that it is summer, the situation has worsened and gone out of control. There is no way that we can keep our windows or door open. Earlier, the smell would waft in only late in the night or early in the morning, but now we get the smell almost throughout the day.” In February, the residents had staged an indefinite protest outside the waste plant, prompting authorities to take note of the stench. The protests were withdrawn after an assurance that a meeting with the BBMP top brass will be held. After the protests were launched again, a meeting was held on March 11 by the BBMP and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) over the issue. Speaking to TNM,  Randeep D, BBMP Special Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, said that residents should approach the KSPCB if they want the plant to shut down. He claimed there was no major issue with the procedures at the plant. “We operate as per the permissions prescribed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board under the Air and Water Act. We have a conditional clearance to run the plant till 2021. The Pollution Control Board has also come and inspected our premises and they have given certain suggestions. They have not found any major fault with regards to the standard operating procedure,” Randeep D told TNM. “There are some suggestions that we will put in place and we will send a report on the action to be taken with clear timelines to the KSPCB within 15 days. We have a technical guidance team who will visit the plant and advise us based on which corrective action will be taken. If the residents have any issue with the plant, they should approach the KSPCB to address their grievances,” he added. Residents, however, have stated that standard operating procedure is not followed. “We know how many people work in the plant. How can one environmental engineer and 3-4 diploma holders manage the 500 metric ton solid waste management plant by themselves?” a resident asked. A senior engineer supervising the plant, who visits the site twice a week, told TNM that there are around 70 people working inside the plant and they have not suffered any side-effects due to the smell. “We admit that there is a smell but it is not harmful or causing nausea or vomiting. There are 70 people working as staff inside the plant and are not near the smell. They have not suffered any effects of the smell, so what are these people on about? There is open dumping outside the plant and this is one of the reasons adding to the smell. We should control this and we all know it. Anyone who goes around this area will know,” Senior Engineer Arasaramrao told TNM. Experts have previously told TNM that issues like these, including the one in HSR Layout Karnataka Compost Development Corporation plant, will continue as long as BBMP does not start ward-level waste management, as has been mandated by the Karnataka High Court.

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Attacked for feeding strays in Bengaluru: Why violence against dog feeders is on the rise

Crime

Ranjit and his wife, a couple in Bengaluru, were allegedly attacked after they protested against stones being thrown at stray dogs.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

Ranjit Joseph and his wife are longtime residents of Shastri Nagar in Bengaluru. Having lived in the locality for close to a decade, along with their dog Browny, afternoon or evening walks with their pet were a routine affair. The couple would also frequently feed the strays in the locality who would walk with them.  But a series of events on Sunday, March 10, made the couple keenly aware of the continuing violence against dog feeders in the city. “We were chased and attacked by a bunch of goons and my wife was stabbed in the head, all for protesting against them throwing stones at the strays and at Browny,” Ranjit alleged in a Facebook post.  Speaking to TNM, Ranjit said that the attackers, who stayed in a neighbouring apartment in Shastri Nagar had got agitated as the stray dogs had barked at them while they were riding their bikes.  “They had just crossed us and the dogs started barking. They got down and started pelting stones at the strays and at my pet. This is when we started protesting and they attacked us from nowhere,” he alleges.  While Ranjit and his wife managed to escape the assault and walk back home to collect their phones and report to the police, a third person allegedly approached them with a small metal weapon and attempted to stab his wife.  A complaint was filed at the HAL police station, but the couple say that this problem does not end here.  “Dog feeders and strays regularly face such violence and persecution from people. It is an ongoing menace,” Ranjit tells TNM.  Violence against strays  While Ranjit was filing a complaint with the Shastri Nagar police against the violence he and the strays underwent, a one-month-old stray pup was being clobbered to death in Avadi, Chennai on the same day, for barking at Ramu, a 52-year-old man who has been accused of the crime.  Speaking to TNM, Dawn Williams, General Manager of Blue Cross in Chennai said that CCTV footage of the pup being beaten to death circulated on social media, which prompted him to file a complaint.  “The accused can be seen holding a 7 kg log and beating the 30-day old pup 11 times, until he snuffs the life out of it. I filed a complaint with the Avadi T6 police against the accused Ramu, a carpenter from the locality,” Dawns adds.  A case has been filed under sections 278 (making environment noxious to health), 428 (Mischief by killing or maiming animal of the value of 10 Rs) and 429 (Mischief by killing of maiming cattle etc of any value or animal of any value above Rs 50) the IPC and under section 11 (1A) (besting, kicking, subjecting an animal to any kind of pain or suffering) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 196.  The accused was also arrested.  Persecution of stray dogs and feeders  Ranjit believes that hatred against dog feeders have been on the rise mainly due to misconceptions about the ‘stray dog menace’.  “People think that because we feed dogs, the stray dog count is increasing in the street. This is not the case. If the dogs are given food and shelter by the street’s residents, they act as the guardians of the street and will not let other strays as well as strangers enter the territory,” Ranjit says.  Dawn also supports this argument.  “They provide solid security to the street and they alert people if any strangers enter the locality. If you look at it, these dogs rarely ever bark at people who reside in the area. They are only wary of strangers and that is a good thing,” Dawn says.  However, residents who are feeders cannot shirk some of the responsibilities that they have towards the stray dogs.  “It is not just enough to give them food. You need to vaccinate and sterilise them. As a feeder, I always make sure that I give them food in an isolated area so as not to inconvenience other residents. I have also tied up with the BBMP and NGOs to get atleast 7-8 dogs in our street vaccinated and sterilised. Once that is done, there is no risk of diseases of population explosion,” Ranjit adds.  Dawn adds that lack of organisation among feeder networks result in many not doing it the right way.  “I am against violence and assault of feeders who are helping stray dogs. However, if somebody attempts to feed stray by dropping chicken guts or liver in front of my doorstep, I am bound to get annoyed. Dog feeders should understand how to carry out feeding and other activities. If they do want to help, they should maybe speak with experts such as the Blue Cross or other activists and learn the proper way to do it,” he says.  Filing police complaints against attackers  Dawn observes that although cases of violence against stray dogs happen in Chennai, their incidence has reduced drastically since 2010.  “When I moved to Chennai for the first time in 2010, there would be a case of stray dog violence every week. Most of my time I spent visiting police stations and going to court in order to report these cases. In 2014 alone, I had unearthed around 400 carcasses of dogs who had been poisoned or beaten to death by people. Following this, many other NGOs too began filing police complaints. Now, we hardly hear cases of violence against animals. It happens only once in a while in the city,” he adds.  As for complaints against attackers and their arrests, Dawn says that his intention is not to put them behind bars but to report such cases.  “Most of these people, who are violent towards innocent animals for no reasons, need help. They have a problem and they need counselling. By reporting these cases I am only attempting to bring this to light and it is in no way an attempt to incarcerate or punish these people. They need to be counselled and brought back,” he says. 

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Disappointment among K’taka Cong leaders after JD(S) gets Tumakuru, coastal seats

Lok Sabha 2019

Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara was disappointed that the party had given away Tumakuru to JD(S), said Congress MLA Somashekar.

Theja Ram

The seat sharing finalised between alliance partners Congress and JD(S) for the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka has come as a surprise not only to several leaders within the coalition, but also its rival – the BJP. Allotting seats such as those in the coastal regional and Tumakuru have left several leaders and party workers. On Thursday, Yeshwanthpur Congress MLA ST Somashekar told the media that Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara was sorely disappointed when the party gave away the Tumakuru segment to the JD(S). “I spoke to Parameshwara over the phone and he told me that he did not know why the party leaders targeted him. He said he was disappointed by Siddaramaiah’s decision in retaining the Mysuru-Kodagu segment but giving away Tumakuru, which is his (Parameshwara’s) home turf. He also told me that the party leaders do not value his opinions,” ST Somashekar said. Congress insiders say that things may change after Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with Deve Gowda on Friday. Party insiders say after Deve Gowda’s ultimatum of not contesting polls if he is not offered the Mysuru-Kodagu district has given rise to doubts about the seats allotted to the JD(S). JD(S) has been allotted eight out of the 28 seats in the state as part of the poll pact. The constituencies are Uttara Kannada, Udupi-Chikamagaluru, Hassan, Mandya, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Vijayapura and Bangalore North. “Everyone is surprised. But the reason why Parameshwara expressed his disappointment is because he is hoping Rahul Gandhi will trade Tumakuru with Mysuru-Kodagu,” a Congress source said. Speaking to TNM, MA Gafoor, Congress leader from Udupi said that no one expected the party to offer the tickets in the coastal region to JD(S). “Nobody expected this decision. We have grassroot level organisations. We have presence in Gram Panchayats, Zilla Panchayats, Municipality, Town Panchayats, and more importantly, there is a history of the Congress fighting from Udupi and Chikkamagaluru. Whether it is the fishermen community, farmer community, women or the youth, the areca nut farmers of Chikkamagaluru, the people fighting for railway network, the Congress has stood with them and fought for their rights. Whether the Congress wins or loses, it is a different issue but the party has come through this with the people. People have in turn expressed confidence in Congress,” he said. He also stated that leaders in Udupi have written to KPCC, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, asking for this decision to be reversed and instead offer the ticket to a Congress candidate.  “If the decision does not change and JD(S) does field the candidate from Udupi, we will tell our karyakartas to work with the party to keep the discipline of the party but we want our feelings to be known and the party should understand our feelings too. We have to let them know about this because we are answerable to our karyakartas,” he added. Party insiders say that JD(S) has a small presence in two districts in Udupi “In the two districts, JD(S) has significance. That is where Bhojaraj is well known. But everywhere else, they have negligible presence. Congress workers will have to do all the work to put up a fight,” a Congress leader said. BJP leaders also say that they were shocked at the coalition's decision as they had been campaigning against the Congress leaders all along. "We did not expect it to happen. We have to see whether the decision will be revoked and even if JD(S) will field candidates, we have to see who it is in order to assess whether there is any actual threat," a BJP source said.   //  

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Prominent Lingayat leader Mathe Mahadevi passes away

Death

The 73-year-old religious leader was admitted to the hospital on March 9 and was suffering from a respiratory ailment.

TNM Staff

Mathe Mahadevi, a prominent Lingayat leader and seer of the Basava Dharma Peetha in Bagalkot in Karnataka, passed away on  Thursday.  She was being treated at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru and hospital authorities confirmed to TNM that she passed away at 4:45 pm.  The 73-year-old religious leader was admitted to the hospital on March 9 and was suffering from a respiratory ailment. She was also suffering from a kidney ailment. She had come to the hospital with a similar problem five months ago and had made a recovery.  Her mortal remains will be kept for public viewing at Basava Mantap in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar. It will then be taken to Kudalasangama for public viewing. Her last rites will be conducted on Friday afternoon at Kudalasangama. Born on March 13, 1946, Mathe Mahadevi had a Masters Degree in Arts before she began her tutelage of the Lingayat faith under renowned Lingayat Seer, Gurulingananda. In 1970 she was installed as a jagadguru, and became the first woman to be offered that rank in a Lingayat mutt.  She was one of the most influential leaders of the Lingayat community. She had travelled across the state to take influential mutts and their leaders into confidence for the separation from Hinduism.

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With Congress retaining Mysuru-Kodagu, Deve Gowda threatens not to contest

Lok Sabha 2019

According to sources, Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet Deve Gowda on Friday to discuss the embattled segment.

Theja Ram

The Congress-JD(S) alliance partners on Thursday announced that the JD(S) would contest from eight segments - Uttara Kannada, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Hassan, Mandya, Bengaluru North and Vijayapura. The party, which was hoping to get the Mysuru-Kodagu segment, was sorely disappointed when the list was finalised.  Now, JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda is driving a hard bargain and demanding that the Congress offer the Mysuru-Kodagu segment to the JD(S). "Deve Gowda has decided that he will not contest elections if the Mysuru-Kodagu segment is not given to the JD(S). The party leaders and workers wanted him to contest from this segment but Siddaramaiah has blocked that," a JD(S) source said.  During the screening committee meeting held on Thursday, the Congress decided to let go of one of its strongholds, Tumakuru, to the JD(S). Party insiders say that Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet Deve Gowda on Friday, where they will discuss the issue of the Mysuru-Kodagu segment.  "Rahul Gandhi may let go of Mysuru, especially if Deve Gowda says he will not contest elections at all. Deve Gowda also will not campaign for the Congress candidates in Bengaluru Rural and other Old Mysuru regions like Kolar and Chikkaballapura. This would mean that the JD(S) party workers across the state may work against the Congress if Deve Gowda does not contest," the JD(S) source added.  During the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, JD(S) leader GT Devegowda defeated former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from the Chamundeshwari segment and emerged as the giant slayer. The embarrassment Siddaramaiah suffered has led him to hold on to the Mysuru segment and not give up his home turf to his arch rival, the JD(S).  Once a member of the JD(S), Siddaramaiah had quit the party and joined Congress after a bitter feud with HD Deve Gowda in 2006. "Siddaramaiah will never give up Mysuru to the JD(S), especially if Deve Gowda has to contest. He would not be OK with campaigning for the JD(S) in his home district, especially when his whole campaign strategy in the past was against the JD(S). If the high command forces him to give it up, there will be a rebellion in the party," a Congress source said.     

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Bangalore Metro services on Green Line to be disrupted on Thursday night

Civic

The disruption will be between National College and Yeshwantpur metro stations due to track maintenance work.

TNM Staff

Namma Metro services on the Green Line will be disrupted on Thursday night due to maintenance works. The disruption will be between National College and Yeshwantpur metro stations due to track maintenance work at Mahakavi Kuvempu Road station. The Green Line of the metro extends from Yelachenahalli in the south to Nagasandra in the north and crosses Majestic station along the way.  Bangalore Metro Rail Transport Corporation (BMRCL) officials confirmed that the last end-to-end train from Yelachenahalli station to Nagasandra station will leave at 9:28pm and from Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli, the last train will depart at 9:30pm, as per a Times of India report. Following that, the metro services will be running only between Yelachenahalli and National College stations and between Nagasandra and Yeshwantpur stations. This means that the last train to Nagasandra and Yelachenahalli will leave from Majestic station at 9:50pm, reported Deccan Herald.  There are currently seven six-car trains running in the city's metro service but only one of them plies on the Green Line due to higher demand on the Purple Line of the metro.  Earlier this month, an additional six-coach train was introduced by Bengaluru Metro officials on the Purple Line running from east-to-west in the city taking the total of such trains to seven. BMRCL plans to introduce three more six-coach trains from April. This comes after the first six-car metro running on the Green Line of the Namma Metro between Nagasandra in the north and Yelachenahalli in the south was flagged off in January. On the same day, two six-car trains were added to the Purple Line connecting Mysuru Road and Baiyappanahalli. Until June 2018, all the Namma Metro trains running in the city consisted of three coaches.

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K'taka Cong complains to EC against Anantkumar Hegde over comments on Rahul Gandhi

Politics

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), in its complaint to EC, stated that the comments offended the dignity and privacy of an individual.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde for his remarks against Congress President Rahul Gandhi. KPCC, in its complaint to EC, stated that the comments offended the dignity and privacy of an individual.  “It (the statement) is clearly calculated to prejudice the minds of the gullible voters of our country on the basis of religion and caste in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. It amounts to an offence under Section 153A and Section 295A of IPC and Section 125 of the Representation of People Act,” the complaint reads.  The union minister, who is a five-time MP from Uttara Kannada, made defamatory remarks against the Congress chief during a party workers meeting in Karwar. A video of Anantkumar Hegde questioning Rahul Gandhi's religion and asking for proof of DNA of the caste he belongs to, has been shared widely.  "Look at the pitiful situation they (Congress) have brought us to. The whole world is praising our soldiers for their courage and bravery and this man (referring to Rahul Gandhi) wants proof of the damage caused in the attack (the Balakot airstrike). How did the son of a Muslim become a Brahmin named Gandhi? This 'pardesi' (referring to Rahul Gandhi) was born to a Muslim and a Christian. How does he become a Brahmin? Can he provide DNA proof?," he had said. The comment by the minister is the latest in a series of crass remarks made by him. Earlier in January, he had called Rahul Gandhi a "hybrid specimen" who was "born to a Muslim and a Christian". In 2016, his speech  against the Muslim community had created controversy. He had also faced criticism for suggesting that the Constitution should be changed, in 2017. He later apologised in parliament for the statement.  Read: Anantkumar Hegde makes another Islamophobic comment against Rahul Gandhi

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