BENGALURU: Those who fail to hand over their garbage to pourakarmikas in the morning can now drop it at over 70 Kasa (garbage) Kiosks, instead of throwing it at roadside, drains, near lakes and empty sites. This is to tackle the increasing menace of blackspots in the city that is bringing a bad reputation to Bengaluru.
Street-side dustbins were banned in Bengaluru two decades ago after door-to-door collection of waste was introduced. To address the concerns of those who miss handing over their trash in the morning garbage collection cycle, BBMP in 2018 came up with the idea of semi-underground dustbins. But these bins too started overflowing, and as they were turning into another dumping yard, they were removed.
The BBMP set up Bengaluru’s first Kasa Kiosk at Murugeshpalya in 2018 and there were plans to expand it to other parts of the city, but never took off.
Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited CEO Karee Gowda said, “One of the major reasons for mushrooming of blackspots in Bengaluru is that those who miss handing over garbage to pourakarmikas stuff everything in a plastic bag and dump wherever they wish.”
Kiosks to be located at places where garbage collection is poor
“Kasa Kiosks will be strategically located at places where garbage collection is poor, where our garbage collection autos cannot go and where blackspots are high,” Gowda added.
Gowda said work orders for Kasa Kiosks were issued two years ago, but they were not set up. “I have instructed officials and garbage contractors to find spots across the five city corporations to strategically place the kiosks to put an end to indiscriminate waste disposal. These kiosks will be set up in three months.”
Workers will man the kiosks and work in two shifts receiving segregated waste throughout the day. It will be closed at night, he said.