Mangaluru: The Kukke Shri Subrahmanya Rail Commuters and Development Committee has raised serious concerns over improper waste management at Subrahmanya Road railway station, alleging accumulation and unsafe disposal of garbage on the premises.
Committee's Allegations
Prasad KG, president of the committee, stated that complaints about waste accumulation have been submitted to the panchayat development officer (PDO) over the past three months, but no action was taken. The committee has since written to Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta, MLA Bhagirathi Murulya, the Deputy Commissioner, ZP CEO, and other authorities.
He alleged that railway authorities have been burning waste on the premises, and despite bringing this to the PDO's attention, there was no response. The matter was escalated to higher officials, including the executive officer (EO) and CEO, after which the PDO visited the site and only a small amount of waste was removed. Recent rains have caused the accumulated waste to emit a foul odor, raising concerns about potential diseases.
Prasad further claimed that the station is ignoring rules for proper waste segregation. He questioned why households and small businesses face notices for non-compliance while similar rules are not enforced at the railway station. He also alleged that attempts were made to dump waste by digging a pit instead of proper disposal.
Panchayat's Response
Bilinele gram panchayat PDO Chandravati Rai Palthady responded that bulk waste generators, such as railway establishments, are responsible for managing their own wet waste. The panchayat collects only dry waste, and wet waste must be managed by the generators themselves. Railway authorities were informed since March to segregate waste and arrange for disposal, including transporting dry waste to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). However, she alleged that the waste remained mixed, making it unsuitable for processing.
The PDO said instructions have been issued from the taluk to the railways, and the waste is likely to be cleared by Monday.
Railway's Stand
An official from the Mysuru division of South Western Railway stated that the matter is under investigation, and a detailed report will be prepared after gathering complete information. No action has been initiated yet, as the matter has been referred to the appropriate authority for further steps.
