The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is pushing for two more grade separators, being constructed by the BDA, that will involve felling of 200 more trees.

Deccan Herald had reported a month ago that at least 500 trees will be axed for building grade separators near Sadashivanagar Police Station and Hosur Lashkar Road.

Residents of areas in the vicinity of BBMP’s Mandur landfill seem to have taken cue from people of Mavallipura, whose agitation led to the closure of the garbage dump yard there.

Newspapers and TV channels had reported in the past few days that the garbage dumped at Mavallipura spread diseases among the people. Around 700 tonnes of the City’s waste is disposed of on a regular basis at the Mandur garbage dump yard, situated between KR Puram and Hoskote. The Palike is diverting the garbage to Mandur and Terrafirma on Doddaballapur Road, after the closure of the Mavallipura landfill.

The High Court on Monday ordered issue of notices to the Karnataka and the Union governments in connection with a plea seeking a ban on sale of gutka and other tobacco products in the State.

Hearing a plea filed by the Cancer Patients Aid Association, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen directed the State government to file objections by two weeks.

Responding to pressure from residents of villages surrounding Mavallipura landfill, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued orders to close the dump yard.

Issuing orders on Wednesday, the KSPCB said that owing to non-compliance with the conditions stipulated, the BBMP has been asked to stop sending municipal solid waste (MSW) to Mavallipura landfill.

The State government has begun the process of identification of malnourished children below the age of six and not enrolled in the anganwadi centres, on the direction of the High Court.

The first health camp for such children is scheduled for July 15. However, sources in the Women and Child Development Department and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, responsible for the implementation of directions of the High Court, said this will be only a one-time exercise as there is no specific policy to deal with the problem yet.

The areas newly brought under the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike are bearing the brunt of acute water scarcity in the City.

With no sign of rain and borewells drying up, these areas on the periphery of the City are dependent on water tankers to meet the daily requirement. The corporators from Byatarayanapura, Mahadevapura and KR Puram constituencies, during a meeting with the chairperson of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board on Tuesday aired their concerns over the grave situation in their wards.

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), set up in 1999 by the State government to regulate power tariff and protect the consu­mers’ interests, draws power without any agreement with Bescom.

It pays its monthly electricity bills, and at commercial rates, in the name of a owner whose identity and address are not clear. The reply it has provided to an RTI query, filed by City advocate Manjunath Rao, about ownership and RR number of the building where it is located is vague.

The Palike contractors have apparently found a novel way to dispose of garbage at Bilekahalli. Unable to clear the garbage, they are burning the waste much to the horror of the residents.

It is not only polluting the environment but has become a new cause of worry for residents. BBMP workers are burning the garbage to reduce the quantity, which is emitting toxic gases posing health risk to the residents.

Beneficiaries to receive food, health care and counselling

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is in the process of identifying land for the construction of shelter homes. To this end, it has received Rs nine crore from the State government. Bommanahalli BBMP Zonal Commissioner Shivabasavaiah said the Palike has set up temporary shelter homes at 13 locations in the City accommodating a total of 188 people including 167 men.

Several industrial units in the district have made a ‘private arrangement’ with farmers by providing them compensation for the crop loss due to the effluents released into their fields.

However, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) contends that there is no provision in the law for such compensation. According to documents accessed by Deccan Herald, eight industries in the district are distributing a compensation of Rs 1,20,57,194 to 906 farmers.