Garbage dumping in S T Bed layout storm water drain

The storm water drain passing through the S T Bed layout (Koramangala) has been notorious for the stink it spreads all around, largely because it's not storm water that flows down it, but plain raw sewage. Now, while the local residents have repeatedly been bringing the matter to the notice of the powers that be, they have been told that the rectification is a herculean task, since it's a phenomenon not peculiar to this drain alone, but to all of them across the city, and that the job can be attended to only in stages. Accordingly, they have been noticing issuance of tenders, now and then, and some work going on, too. But, very clearly, the problem is not getting solved, and the impression one gets is that it's become a cash cow for the neta-babu-contractor mafia for going on exploiting to serve their vested interests.

Now, as if all of that was not bad enough, from some two months back, the residents have been noticing systematic and large scale dumping of garbage into the drain. It's obviously being done by contractors, and it should not be difficult to identify who's doing it, and thereafter, taking steps to prevent it. But, apparently, the powers that be see in it another opportunity to milk - contract for clearing, re-building the damaged walls, etc! And, the residual garbage, that cannot be cleared readily, is then burned, which being largely plastic causes to emanate most toxic of fumes, posing a fresh health hazard. Also, very likely, the cleared garbage, which is piled along the edge of the drain, gets pushed back into it, for the next cycle of clearance, alongwith fresh piles of garbage, making for jobs for contractors on an almost permanent basis.

Not surprisingly, this is of a piece with what has been going on in Koramangala from long, as evident here - fancy Eurocon tiles for footpaths, Rs 8 cr beautification work of a lake restored at about Rs 2.5 cr, 4-lane highway to nowhere, etc, etc.

The residents are now beginning to ask if this is what they are being charged the much enhanced property tax for. One went on to add "I wonder if it would be possible to compute the amount of money supposedly spent on SWD repair, remodelling, reclamation, dredging and whatnot at least over the past 5 years - money that has clearly and literally gone down the drain".

What they want is citizen-centred development, and not contractor-centred development.

Pictures below tell the tale more vividly.

Muralidhar Rao

1) start

2) pile up

3) burning

4) residual garbage

5) contractor at work