BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Solid Waste Management (SWM) wing, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Company Limited (BSWML), has pulled off a ‘Houdini Act’ in terms of dealing with garbage blackspots by reducing 2,080 such spots to 400 in less than a year.
With its intensive drive on Saturdays since June 14 in each BBMP Ward, the Palike aims to clear waste and beautify the area with art on walls, placing saplings and pots.
Over the last two weeks, 396 black spots have been removed. The officials, however, expressed disappointment with citizens for showing a lackadaisical attitude as some still come during the night or early morning hours and dump animal waste and garbage.
Speaking about the issue and initiative, Chief Marshal Officer, Colonel Rajbir Singh (retired), said, “On June 14 and June 21, the BBMP officials from BSWML, BBMP marshals and volunteers cleared waste, painted the walls and cleaned the surroundings from all 198 BBMP wards. This cleaning program is part of ‘Swachh Bengaluru’ initiative. The drive will continue during weekends and such blackspots will be fixed,” he said.
He also stated that the BWSML’s biggest challenge in dealing with waste management is people’s attitude and stated that due to floating populations, the waste is littered.
“Animal waste sometimes is not lifted daily, people fail to hand over waste to pourakarmikas who come to their doorstep and also many commercial establishments litter the streets corners or junctions and turn the same into blackspots,” said Singh.
The BBMP deploys marshals and BSWML teams during morning and night hours to catch hold of the violators who throw garbage and dirty the places and impose penalties against them to discipline them.
Chief Engineer of Dasarahalli Zone and former head of BSWML, Basavaraj Kabade, said there are 42 such blackspots in his Zone and 8 have been fixed on June 21 and stated that the blackspot at 3rd Phase, 11th Main Road Peenya Industrial Layout was the biggest garbage blackspot and after clearing the waste, the Warli artwork was done on the walls and tree saplings were planted.
“The teams have been directed to patrol during early morning and night hours and impose penalties,” said Kabade.