BANGALORE: Sanjay Nagar residents, who had actively participated in the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan by launching an initiative to segregate kitchen waste, are in the forefront of the drive against garbage again. They are now aiming to make Wards 18 and 19 in Sanjay Nagar completely free from polythene covers from Monday.
Residents have come out strongly against the unending garbage issue that the city has been facing for a long time. At the two wards, they have been encouraged to use their own bags or buy polythene covers which are above 40 microns, as such bags are recyclable. Vignan Gowda, a techie who is spearheading the initiative, said the response has been fantastic.
“On October 2, we launched a drive in the two wards and distributed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) orders stating that plastic bags less than 40 microns in thickness should not be used by shop-keepers and market areas. A lot of awareness has been generated in the locality, and BBMP officials have agreed to inspect the wards next week and impose fines on those who are still using plastic covers that are not permitted. We, from the residents’ association, will also conduct regular checks,” he said.
Gowda said people will soon have no other option but to use their own bags to carry groceries and other items. Though it may seem hard on people, such an initiative is much needed and is like a breath of fresh air, he said.
“The fine for breaking the rule ranges from Rs 1,000 to 25,000, depending on the scale of the establishment which is breaking the law,” he added.
Rajalakshmi, a Sanjay Nagar resident, is excited by the initiative and said that it will help in easing the problem of garbage in the locality. “We were approached by the residents welfare association and I agreed whole-heartedly. Such an initiative should have taken place a long time ago. However, it is better late than never. I will use jute or cotton bags and minimise the use of polythene covers,” she said.
During the launch of the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, Venugopal Iyengar, an industrialist from Sanjay Nagar hit upon the novel idea of segregating kitchen waste from normal waste. Stating that around 70 per cent of the total garbage generated by the city comprises of kitchen waste, Iyengar had said that the segregated kitchen waste can be can be used as manure for plants.
After gauging the success of the initiative, Gowda said the drive will spread to other wards too. “We are concentrating on wards 18 and 19 now. I will be approaching radio stations so that our message can reach far and wide,” he added.
The initiative will be launched by MLA Jagadeesh Kumar on Monday.