Bengaluru: Are you ready for green spot challenge?

Bengaluru: “If we take responsibility to wash our dirty vessels and clothes, why not take responsibility to manage the garbage we generate?” asks Lalita Monderatti, a solid waste management expert and an activist.

Inspired by such thoughts, Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), a voluntary organisation, challenged Bengalureans in January to take up a green spot challenge for a week.

As part of the challenge, citizens have to manage the garbage they generate at their homes and office premises and shouldn’t depend on BBMP to dispose it!
In five months, over 20,000 Bengalureans have successfully completed the challenge, while more corporate firms and private organisations are now turning towards ‘Swacha Graha’ or the green spot challenge.

Good response
Explaining the overwhelming responses the initiative is getting, Lalita, said, “We had reached out to nearly one lakh Bengalureans and though the challenge is slowly gaining momentum, it's inspiring that 20,000 households and offices have successfully completed the challenge.

“Even if 4 kg of garbage is not sent from each house in a week, there's a significant quantum of garbage not reaching the BBMP plants.” While not only is the green spot challenge a hit among environment enthusiasts, it is also widely appreciated and welcomed by corporate firms.

“Tech giants such as Bosch and Felix among other firms have completed the challenge. More corporate firms are now taking up the challenge. It's a welcome move as the city is becoming more garbage sensitive and responsible towards its garbage,” Lalita said.

Elderly woman yelled at for raising garbage issue
You complain about garbage problem in your locality and get yelled at by health inspector! This sounds strange but true and an octogenarian woman was at the receiving end for taking up the garbage issue.

The resident of Jayanagar 1st block, a locality bordering two wards, feel that complaining about the problem is a bigger challenge than the garbage menace itself. Repeated complaints and written petition by residents to get rid of the problem have fallen on deaf ears, according to them.

Shakuntala Badrinath, 83, of Jayanagar 1st Block, said a children’s park in front of her house has been turned into a dumping yard for the last few months. The area has turned into an ugly and unhygienic spot, posing health hazards to the residents.

Heaps of garbage filled in huge black polythene bags, which has been banned, have been rotting for over one week. The garbage dump has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. People from nearby slum and neighbouring Siddapur ward too dump garbage at the corner making it an eyesore, said Shakuntala.

“I have been falling sick too often. On top of it I am a home-alone woman. It has been difficult to get the things cleared. Seeking neighbours help, a petition was given to the BBMP to get the garbage cleared. Stray dogs and cows have been feeding on the garbage and it is strewn all around. The unbearable stench forces me keep doors and windows permanently shut,” she said with tears filled in her eyes.

Corporator Gangambika said due to the problem at waste processing units, garbage has not been lifted in some areas. However, the issue will be settled soon, she said.

Junior health inspector Gangadhar Murthy said that due to the village fair at Siddapura and Kanakanapalya, garbage from neighbouring areas are dumping garbage there. Garbage is being cleared on regular basis and it has been affected for the last one week. It would be cleared once the issues at the waste processing units are resolved, he assured.