Civic sense or system failure? B'luru waste woes spark debate

Bengaluru

At a recent conference, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar urged citizens to show civic sense in managing Bengaluru’s waste. While many residents say they are willing to do their part to keep the city clean, they point to several systemic shortcomings that make it difficult for them to do so.

Anjali R., a resident of Hebbal, said she has tried and failed to dispose of waste properly, adding that it feels as though the city compels her to dump her waste on the street. “In my area, there are irregularities in waste collection. Sometimes they come at 9 o’clock, sometimes at 11. As a working professional, I can’t wait indefinitely for them. The collectors even asked for money, which I refused to pay. I know throwing waste on the road is wrong, but the system is simply not convenient for me,” she said.

Solid Waste Management (SWM) employees acknowledge such issues but insist that citizens, too, must act responsibly. One employee said, “Sometimes the collectors don’t come because they are sick, on leave, or on strike — which is understandable.

But people then throw waste on the road instead. Maintaining consistent daily collection is a major organisational challenge. I fully agree with what the minister said about civic sense.”

Some localities, however, fare better than others. Aman Sharief, a resident of Tilak Nagar, said that in his neighbourhood, collectors come thrice a day to collect garbage. “It’s not segregated collection — we separate our waste at home, but they mix everything in their vehicles,” he said. Yet even this frequency does not prevent the formation of black spots. “There are dumps in the area, and people who throw waste there say the collection timings are inconvenient, so they just dump it and leave,” he added.

A mid-level SWM employee explained that the organisation faces two main challenges — dumping of waste in public spaces and lack of proper segregation. “There are problems in collection; we are aware of that. Collectors may come when residents aren’t available. But there’s a helpline people can call to escalate complaints, and we’re always ready to resolve them,” he said.