BANGALORE: Banashankari dhobi ghat is one of the few dhobi ghats in Bangalore that has plenty of water. Around 100 families of washermen depend on this particular dhobi ghat for washing clothes. They want the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities to modernise the dhobi ghat like the one in Malleswaram. “We have already submitted a memorandum to the BBMP authorities for this purpose but they are yet to take a decision on it,” said Eswaramurthy, president of Akhila Karnataka Madivalara Machideva Mahajana Sangha.The washermen are not happy with the delay in constructing houses. They allege that BBMP has been delaying the construction of houses that were approved by the then Commissioner, Pandey. “The Commissioner had asked us to provide details about the funds or agencies that would bear the cost of construction. The proposal has been pending for the past few years. I requested them to speed up the process. We badly need more than 100 houses,’’ said Eswaramurthy. As far as infrastructure is concerned, there is nothing to revel about it at the dhobi ghat. The electric motor pump needs to be repaired too. And, the open well that supplies water requires desilting. “There is a lot of silt in the well. We have requested the BBMP authorities to do the needful but in vain,’’ said a washerman.Its compound wall was constructed in 1994 and the then BMP Mayor B S Sudhanva inaugurated it on February 9, 1994. The steel gate is rusted and needs to be replaced. “We have already requested the BBMP authorities to change the rusted gate at the entrance. They have promised to replace it but till date nothing has happened,’’ said Eswarappa. Washermen are extremely happy with the gesture of Corporator Govindawraju who had constructed toilets at the dhobi ghat. They want the BBMP health department to take measures to clean the open drain on the dhobi ghat premises too. They allege that it has become tough for them to cope with bad odour emanating from stagnated water. “The silt and other waste material in the open drain prevent the smooth flow of water. The stagnated water has become a breeding place for mosquitoes,’’ said a washerwoman. Will the BBMP authorities redress the grievances of washermen as early as possible? They just have to wait and watch.
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