Festival over, but Bengaluru chokes on garbage

Bengaluru: Even two days after the Ayudha Pooja festival, garbage has not been cleared in several parts of the city. They remain piled up on street corners and have become an eyesore, causing unbearable stench.

The BBMP has failed to act and clear festival related garbage and in some areas only festival garbage has been cleared while other solid waste continue to rot on the streets.

Mayor B.N. Manjunath Reddy told DC that officials have been directed to undertake extra trips to clear festival garbage. Earlier, officials were directed to collect a security deposit from farmers and traders who sell pumpkin, plantain stem and leaves on the roadside. The deposit would be returned once they clear everything, or forfeited if they fail to do so.

Garbage pile ups are also visible along Bengaluru-Mysuru highway between Bidadi and Ramanagaram. Ramanagaram City Municipal Council (CMC) authorities accused the BBMP of the mess, while some claim it was done by Ramanagara CMC itself. However, both the BBMP and Ramanagaram CMC have denied their role.

Regarding garbage dumping along the highway, Reddy said the BBMP has made arrangements to dump garbage at processing units and had no role in the mess. He said the trucks hired by bulk generator like hotels and apartments may have dumped the garbage. However, he assured to check and resolve the issue at the earliest.