Ullal : Students of the  Derlakatte Aided Lower Primary School took to the streets on Thursday July 3 in protest against the dumping of garbage in the vicinity of the school.The students later staged a protest in front of the Belma Gram Panchayat office.

The students of the school have been facing the brunt of garbage dumping in the vicinity of the school near the panchayat building since the past few years, and are forced to attend classes  by covering their noses.

They resorted to protest on Thursday as repeated appeals to the local panchayat to dispose off the garbage fell on deaf ears. The  protest was also participated  by Vaman, the school Headmaster, retired teacher Kittanna Rai, Yashodar Bagambila,  Gopinath Bagambila, Sunil Padyana and others.

Responding to the complaint of the students, Panchayat’s in-charge Development Officer said  the problem would be solved once a garbage  yard comes up at survey number 51 in Kanakere. The files in this regard are presently in the AC office, she informed.

She further stated that as of now, garbage is cleared once a week by the Panchayat at its own cost. She also informed that the  Panchayat has served notices to the commercial complexes to maintain cleanliness and that a complaint has also been lodged with the Konaje police seeking action against those who dumped wastes near the school.

Shanthi further stated that the Panchayat staff had kept guard even during night once and had lodged complaint against two persons who were found dumping wastes on roadside during night time. Still, the unwelcome practice continues, she regretted.