Goods left over by traders a worry: Bengaluru Mayor

Bengaluru: The festival of lights may have ended, but the burnt crackers, hazardous wastes and festival garbage lying on roads are yet to be cleared. Around 4000 metric tonnes of waste is generated in the city everyday and during festivals it goes up by 20-30 per cent.

Areas such as K.R. Market, Madiwala, Malleswaram, Jayanagar, Mysore Circle, Chamrajpet, Johnson Market and Ulsoor are the worst hit. When Deccan Chronicle contacted Mayor Padmavathi, she said, “Pourakarmikas sacrificed their Deepavali celebration and have worked to keep the city clean. The big issue we are facing every year is the unsold goods left on roads and footpaths by traders and farmers, who come to city during festival season.”

It is difficult for us to monitor them and traders and farmers do not care to take back their unsold items. She lamented that the burden of clearing them falls on BBMP.

The Mayor said that soon a system will be put in place to prevent this mess during festivals. We are planning to collect deposit amount from these traders who come to city during festivals and it will be refunded only if they clear the unsold goods, she explained.

Officials and pourakarmikas have been instructed to work extra hours to clear the piled up festival garbage and cracker remnants, she said.