Bengaluru: Bengaluru , which is already struggling to cope with the garbage littering its streets, has an even harder time during festivals like Ayudha Pooja when around 500 tonnes of additional garbage is generated in the form of plantain and mango leaves, broken pumpkins, and flowers.
With its garbage disposal mechanism in a mess, heaps of festival garbage are left uncleared in areas like K R Market, Basavanagudi, Sirsi Circle, Yediyur, Wilson Garden and Adugodi. Like in previous years , there was a similar mess in the core South, West and East zones of the city this year too. It's only places on the outskirts of the city like Yelahanka, which have a plan in place and are converting the festival garbage into compost by dumping it into pits and distributing it to farmers for use as manure.
Mr N. S. Ramakanth, member of BBMP’s Solid Waste Management Committee, regrets that although it held three meetings with the joint commissioner, health inspectors and solid waste management engineers, there has been no big change this year in the way the garbage is handled.
"During festivals like Ayudha Pooja a lot of green waste is generated, which does not need to be taken to processing plants. People can be asked to dump it at designated points from where the BBMP can collect it and convert it into compost in association with solid waste management volunteers, NGOs, RWAs and farmers," he noted.
Newly elected Mayor, Sampath Raj, when contacted, however, claimed that steps were being taken to dispose of the garbage effectively. "We have asked our workers to collect the green waste and send it to farms for conversion to compost and to cattle houses," he said.
As for unsold goods abandoned by vendors arriving in the city from nearby villages for the festivals, he said the vendors would be monitored and cautioned about the littering during the coming festival.
Garbage cleared in one hour
Mayor Sampath Raj, who inspected the garbage collection drive in the city on Sunday, was shocked to see mounds of garbage left behind after the Ayudha Puja and Dasara festivities at Gandhi Bazaar. He directed the engineer to clear the garbage within one hour.
During his visit, traders at the historic Gandhi Bazaar Market poured out their woes to him. They requested him to renovate and develop the market. He assured them that the project will be taken up and directed officials to prepare a detailed project report.
After finishing his first round at the market, Mr Raj went back to the spots where he saw mounds of garbage. Officials were quick enough to clear the garbage within one hour. Residents were heard saying that the newly elected mayor should visit different areas regularly to keep the city clean.
