BANGALORE: Incense sticks and cones are generally used while offering prayers to the Almighty or paying homage to departed souls.However, here is a school in the IT capital of the country that is using incense sticks and cones for a different reason.It is not to please any God or Goddess but to get relief from the stench that emanates from the heaps of garbage dumped beside its compound.Around 3,000 students and teachers of SSM Public School, situated in. Thyagarajanagar, have to search for a handkerchief to protect their nostrils from the unpleasant odour from the garbage that accumulates near their compound everyday.“We have complained to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities to take necessary action to keep the place clean,” says Usha Bhat, principal, SSM Public School.Apart from closing the windows, the teachers are lighting incense sticks or incense cones to make the atmosphere in the classrooms conducive for studying.“With the garbage being piled up, the surroundings get pollutedStudents’ health is at risk.I expect the BBMP authorities to do the needful,” said one of the residents of the area.The place becomes slushy during the monsoon and a little rain is enough to make the place dirty.“It is terrible to see the rain water turning black at this place due to the garbage,” says a parent on the condition of anonymity.H o w e v e r , B S Satyanarayana, corporator, Basavanagudi ward, has a different story to tell.He claims that the place is the one and only vacant space suitable for garbage collection.“We have been taking necessary action to clear the garbage on a day-to-day basis,” says Satyanarayana.But the staff members and students of the school are not ready to agree with Satyanarayana.They say that garbage is not cleared on a regular basis. “We welcome the BBMP authorities to visit the spot to see the heaps of garbage,” said the principal of the school.Satyanarayana, who is also known as Katte Satyanarayana, is set to come out with a concrete plan to mitigate the problem.“I am planning to concretise the place It will be easy to clear the garbage and keep the place clean.I have directed the BBMP authorities to start the concrete work within a month,” explains Satyanarayana.Will Katte Satyanarayana honour his assurance? The teachers and students have to wait and watch.
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