Mangaluru : Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra on Saturday asked the Kotekar Town Panchayat to have a green buffer zone between residential flats for the houseless and the solid waste treatment plant facility and end the impasse over setting up the new facility.

In a DISHA review meeting chaired by Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, Deputy Director, District Urban Development Cell, Gayatri Nayak, said 3.62 acres of the nine acres of the land in Kayarmajalu, which is allocated for a residential layout for the houseless, has been earmarked for the solid waste treatment plant. On a petition by residents, the local court has granted a stay. Process was on to vacate the stay, she said.

Dr. Rajendra said asked the town panchayat to make effective use of the land and set up the plant to process dry waste. “You need to make effective use of the land and stop throwing of waste by the roadside in Kotekar and Someshwar,” he said. An official from the Kotekar Panchayat said segregated waste from their area was presently being brought to Pachhanady landfill site in Mangaluru.

Earlier, Mr. Kateel handed over keys of seven ‘Swachh Vahini’ vehicles for house-to-house collection of waste to presidents of seven gram panchayats from Bantwal and Belthangady taluks . These seven vehicles were purchased under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

While each of the six vehicles was of ₹5.35 lakh, the vehicle granted to Puncha Gram Panchayat of Bantwal taluk was worth ₹7.64 lakh.

The other panchayats which received vehicles were Narikombu, Kepu and Peruvai panchayats of Bantwal taluk and Arasinamakki, Ilantila and Balanja panchayats of Belthangady taluk.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Kumar said a total of 78 gram panchayats in the district have vehicles for waste collection. The remaining 145 panchayats have been asked to make use of funds available under 15th Finance Commission and purchase the vehicle.