Politics of garbage hits Tumkur village

TUMKUR: The dumping of Bangalore's garbage in a Tumkur village has turned political. While the district in-charge and environment minister S Shivanna has given his nod for dumping garbage in Togarighatta village (90km from Bangalore), the opposition has trashed the move. Both the Congress and JD(S) have decided to make this a poll issue. The state is due for assembly elections in May.
The other bone of contention is the setting up of a waste treatment plant in the village. The BJP netas are supporting the government's move and the project has the blessings of minister Shivanna, said to be close to deputy chief minister and Bangalore in-charge minister R Ashoka. But the Congress is against it.
Shivanna claimed that the plant would not affect drinking water or the environment. 'The work will begin shortly,'' he said.
The government is also thinking of setting up a unit to generate power from the garbage. Some political leaders are misguiding the villagers,'' he said.
However, KPCC president G Parameshawara, representing this assembly constituency, is opposing the BBMP's move.
Parameshwara told TOI that he wouldn't allow Bangalore's garbage in his constituency. I will write a letter to the chief minister in this regard,'' he said.
The state government and BBMP's move is unscientific. Even the technical report submitted to the government was negative. How will BBMP transport garbage to this remote village? The dumping will create health hazards and pollute drinking water and agricultural lands,'' he said.