Bengaluru: Officials unmoved as 25-feet high mound of debris shuts village road

Bengaluru: Public anger over encroachment of water bodies and forest areas at Jigani in Anekal taluk has failed to move officials to action. Citizens and environmentalists have been complaining about the chemical effluents from a cement and ready mix concrete (RMC) plant polluting farm lands and water bodies. However, no action has been taken against the industries brazenly violating the norms.

It has also come to light that the RMC plant and the cement factory are built in the green belt and whistleblowers state that they fall under the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Bannerghatta National Park.

Recently, a resident of Bannerghatta complained to authorities over closure of the road at Kannayakana Agrahara at Jigani with soil and rocks by unidentified persons. The dumping of debris has raised the road height to about 25 feet.

In a letter the hapless resident has brought to the notice of the tehsildar about the violation. The resident said that the intention of the 'encroacher' is not only to build a retaining wall over the 25-feet soil, but to come up with another RMC plant.

His farm that falls on the downside of the road has been at the receiving end as the dumped soil, rocks and construction debris have altered the natural flow of the rain water resulting in the removal of the topsoil of the farm.

"Several levels of dumping have taken place and the retaining wall will rise to over 50 feet. We are already grappling with waste, plastic etc flooding our farms. Consequently, the natural flow of rainwater is blocked resulting in the removal of topsoil in the farm due to the sudden gush of debris and waste," the resident who pleaded anonymity told The Hans India.

The road has been in existence since 1925 as per the village map. The resident in the letter has demanded to know from the tehsildar the reason for giving permission to dumping of soil and construction of a retaining wall.