Under the guidance of the then CM Shri Devaraj URS, MLA Shri IDP Salappa headed a committee (The Karnataka Sweepers and Scavengers Living and Working Conditions Improvement Committee) that physically traversed the state of Karnataka between 1974 and 1976 to document the condition of sanitation workers, and came up with a comprehensive report (the Salappa Committee Report) with tangible recommendations to alleviate the status of the workers - covering aspects of minimum wage, benefits, safety measures, work hours, etc. amongst others. Close to half a century since the report was published, very little has been done to either implement the recommendations or uplift the sanitation workers.

Environmental Support Group (ESG) is an independent organisation that was started in 1996 with solid waste management as a core work area under the Environmental, Social Justice and Governance oriented initiatives that drove the organisation to take shape. ESG’s decades-long documentation aided not only the termination of the landfill but moved the High Court to pass ordinances that organised much of the waste management efforts across the city at the time. Their study included a follow of I.P.D. Salappa’s report from 40 years before, about how little has changed for the Pourakarmika (sanitation workers) of Karnataka, who continue to face discrimination and exploitation.

Notes from ESG’s Report “Bangalore’s Toxic Legacy” produced in 2010

Unplanned urbanisation coupled with unprecedented increase in consumerism are causing extensive impacts on human health and the environment. As urban residents become more consumerist and cities become a locus of intense resource consumption, the capacity to generate waste is maximised. The weak impetus to minimise waste generation and poor management of the waste generated is resulting in a huge public health and environmental problem. 

The neglect of such questions result in complex problems that are exacerbated by poor land use planning and waste management practices. There is little or no emphasis on community level solid waste management and this callousness has dire consequences for communities who become victims of large and poorly managed landfills. Forced to coexist with mountains of festering waste dumped in their backyards, these unfortunate people suffer unbearable stench, are forced to drink toxic water and end up with severe debilitating effects on their health and livelihoods. 

Over 3000 tonnes of waste is generated in Bangalore every day, a good proportion is unhealthily dumped in the periurban areas of the city, with farmlands and wetlands becoming prime targets. Oftentimes forest areas are also happy dumping grounds for waste disposal. An out of sight out of mind attitude pervades the administration and regulatory approach to solid waste management. 

A case in point is what is claimed to be a designated municipal solid waste management landfill at Mavallipura, a village north of Bangalore near Yelahanka. Waste has been dumped here since 2003 in what was claimed to be farmer Bailappa's lands. A consistent process by local people succeeded in stopping this massive illegal waste dump only for a similar landfill to recur abutting grazing pastures extending over 100 acres claimed to be designated scientific landfill managed by M/s Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. 

The Mavallipura landfills are a clear indicator of the callous disregard that BBMP has for public health and environmental laws and standards of India. This situation is also an alarming indicator of the appalling dismissal of the Fundamental Right of the communities of Mavallipura and surrounding villages to live a life of dignity, and in a clean environment.

People are dying in Mavallipura today. Despite many falling sick with increasing regularity, there simply has not been any comprehensive effort on the part of BBMP or the health authorities to attend to this health crisis. It is deeply worrying that many are reporting incurable diseases like cancer, kidney failure, etc. which could well be a result of the high toxicity in the ambient environment. This kind of situation arises due to the acute disregard to a simple and effective solution to the problem: segregating waste at source, composting organic waste locally, recovering recyclables locally to the maximum possible extent, and only transporting useless and hazardous material to landfills. For this to happen, everyone who generates waste must own up the responsibility for the adverse impacts we are causing on the people of Mavallipura, and similar communities around Bangalore.