Villagers oppose proposed solid waste management unit in Yelandur

Chamarajanagara: The villagers of Kuderu in Yelandur taluk are opposing the proposal of Yelandur town panchayat to set up a solid waste management unit. The Chamarajanagara district administration has allotted 7.20 acres of land in survey number 89 in Moodala Agrahara.

But the villagers strongly oppose the unit fearing health hazards to the people in the area as the site for the proposed solid waste management unit is in the centre of Moodala Agrahara, Badagalamole and Tenkalamole villages and 100 metres away from their agricultural fields.

Nanjanagudu-Kavalande main road is just 200 meters away, while Kuderu government PU college and primary school and Handijogi colony are within one km radius. Another concern expressed by them is that the land has a good water source. Addahole rivulet passes through the land. If the town panchayat constructs the plant the groundwater source would dry up, they argue.

A villager, Rajendra Swamy, told The Hans India that many villagers make ropes from cement bags. They build a dyke in Addahole to impound water to wash cement bags.

He said there are many villagers who depend on making ropes for their livelihood. If the Addahole dries up or gets polluted after the construction of the solid waste management unit, their livelihood would be affected. Another villager, Basappa said the waste plant would cause stink, gnat and mosquito menace. The proposed unit would definitely destroy the atmosphere in the area, he warned. He said hundreds of houses are in the close proximity of the proposed unit. Basappa said the villagers are united and will launch an agitation if the government does not withdraw the proposal.

Yelandur town panchayat chief officer Nagarathna said that the land was allotted by district administration as per law. "If villagers object to it, we will bring it to the notice of the district administration," he clarified.