Fire in vacant plots near Kudlu Doddakere angers residents

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Vacant sites around Kudlu Doddakere on Hosa Road pose danger to saplings and trees around the water body. With these vacant sites becoming dumping yards, fire mishaps have become routine here, thus damaging the trees and saplings.

The residents and lake activists are up in arms against the laxity of the authorities concerned to fix this problem on a permanent basis. “Burning of dry waste by a few people is the main cause for killing of well-grown saplings and trees around the lake. I have already raised this issue during the ward committee meeting. I expect the authorities concerned to take measures to prevent fire mishaps in future,” said Rashmi, a resident of Purva Skywood.

She demanded the authorities to take measures to keep miscreants away from the water body.

Raghavendra B Pachhapur, a lake activist, has described setting dry waste afire near the water body as an irresponsible act and the guilty must be punished. “I want the BBMP authorities to immediately investigate and act against those responsible for killing trees by setting dry waste afire,” he said.

The residents and lake activists opine that burning of waste would be a health hazard for people residing around the lake. The BBMP has prohibited burning of all types of waste in the city, but the authorities are not interested in taking preventive measures in this regard.

“There are a few families who put up makeshift shelters on the lake land. Most of them are engaged in collecting dry waste. I think these people are burning waste near the lake thus causing damage to saplings and trees. We planted around 30 saplings near the lake a few months ago and all of them were destroyed due to the fire mishap,” said Nanjappa C.B., a lake activist.

When contacted, Prasanna, the nodal officer for Singasandra ward committee, has said that a few residents have raised the issue during the ward committee meeting. “I have sent the proceedings of the ward committee meeting to my higher authorities. I will take measures to fix this problem as soon as I receive my higher authorities’ nod,” said Prasanna.

Meanwhile, Usha Rani, engineer (lakes), BBMP has said that she took the help of fire and emergency services personnel to douse the fire near the water body. “Fire mishaps are common during the summer. I have already informed my higher authorities about the incident,” she added.