Bengaluru: Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan’ had many taking to streets with brooms in hand; garbage heaps have now made a comeback in various parts of IT city. The long weekend, with rows of festivals, seems to have made garbage management difficult for the BBMP, with the city generating more garbage and many pourkarmikas on leave.
Many days before the campaign was launched across the country, the BBMP and several elected representatives had vouched to maintain cleanliness in the city. In fact, Mayor N.Shantha Kumari had taken the onus to launch the campaign in Maruti Mandir ward by sweeping the streets.
However, just three days after the launch, Gandhi Bazaar, Jayanagar, Banashankari, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and other commercial areas have turned into dump yards. Heaps of festival related garbage such as banana saplings, stale flowers and pumpkins have piled up on the road, with BBMP paying little attention. While the city celebrated Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami on Friday and Saturday respectivel, Bakrid will be celebrated on Monday.
On Saturday, pourakarmikas did not turn up in many areas leaving all the festival garbage on streets. Though Mayor Shantha Kumari conceded about the pile up of garbage, she reiterated that the cleanliness campaign will be taken seriously and the trash will be cleared once pourakarmikas return to work.
“I agree that all the festival garbage is dumped on the streets because the BBMP workers have not turned up for work. This is an annual affair during festivals. On the day of Ayudha Pooja they offer prayers to the vehicles and don’t work for two days. They will return to work on Sunday and garbage should be cleared soon,” she said.
When pointed out that Bakrid is on Monday, which is also a government holiday, she said the pourakarmikas had just two days off and the garbage clearance would not be hampered.
The city normally generates around 5,000 tonnes of waste every day, which doubles during festivals. It may take another few days before the BBMP can clear all the festival garbage.
