Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 28: In connection with the collapse of the huge garbage pile of the city at Pachanady that caused lot of damage to houses, agricultural property and other assets over a five km area last year, the state high court has ordered the city corporation here to disburse compensation of Rs 22 crore to the aggrieved persons.

Since the last 15 years, garbage generated in the city was being heaped on a huge plastic sheet laid out at Pachanady here. On August 6, 2019, after water got accumulated at the garbage site, the entire hill of garbage had come crashing down. It had covered houses, fields, plantations and seven-acre area in a small village named Mandara. The house of well-known writer, Mandara Keshavaa Bhat, was buried under the waste. As many as 27 houses were completely damaged and the families were shifted to apartments built by the housing board.

Pachanady garbage landslide in 2019

The high court said that this incident is in the form of a lesson to other cities and towns in the state and has compelled them to think seriously about disposal of waste.

The city corporation in the meantime, has made it mandatory for the citizens to sort the waste into dry waste and wet waste.

Initially eight crore grant was released by the government out of which four crore rupees was meant towards compensation and the balance to build protective wall. Rs 2.52 crore out of it is towards horticulture and forest. On account of delay in disbursement of compensation, high court was approached, which has now ordered to disburse entire amount of compensation due.