Bhatkal: The locals in Hanifabad area coming under Heble Panchayat limits in the taluk strongly opposed the administration's attempt to dispose garbage on forest land, after which the members of the panchayat stopped the work being done in this regard.

The Panchayat had planned to bury the piles of garbage lying around the area by digging a pit on the forest land in Nerlisar in Hanifabad. When the Panchayat administration personnel arrived with JCB machines to make a temporary way to the site before digging the pit, the locals surrounded them and urged that such dumping of garbage in the residential area would harm public health. In addition to the dangers, people will have to face difficulties to live because of the stench and stray dogs. During the monsoon, water flows downhill from this area. Therefore, if garbage is piled up here, then the flow of water will be blocked, which will create problems for the residents. Hence, dumping of garbage should not be allowed here at any cost.

Meanwhile, some members and staff of the panchayat expressed the view that there is a plan to set up a garbage disposal center. But now that the days of festival are approaching and there are piles of garbages around the houses, the panchayat has decided to bury all the garbage by digging a pit on the forest land only once. After that, the new center will be set up to dump the garbage. But the people here do not understand this, they said.

As tensions escalated and the atmosphere warmed up, the panchayat members and staff left the work unfinished.

On this occasion, apart from Panchayat members, BJP Bhatkal unit president Subraya Devadiga, Chandra Gonda, Vijay Shetty, locals Mushtaq, Sadiq, Wasiq, Suhail, Juman and Panchayat staff Vinayak and others were present.