Bengaluru: Dasara has come to an end, but the civic authorities are struggling to clear the festival waste generated in core areas of the city, mainly plaintain leaves and pumpkins. In the wake of recent fire at Kannahalli waste processing plant near Magadi, the disposal of festival garbage has been affected. The city generates over 500 tonnes of additional garbage during Ayudha Pooja.
Heaps of plantain leaves and pumpkins are lying unattended on the footpath and roads in areas such as K.R. Market, Basavanagudi, Binnypet, Yediyur, Wilson Garden, Adugodi and other parts of the city. While arrangements have been made in Yelahanka, Bommanahalli, Mahadevapura and RR Nagar BBMP zones to convert the green waste into compost, no such plans were made for the South, West and East zones.
N.S. Ramakanth, member, Solid Waste Management expert committee told Deccan Chronicle, “Last year the city generated over 400 tonnes of green wastes such as abandoned plantain leaf, pumpkin and flowers and this year it is expected to cross 500 tonnes.”
Green wastes generated during festivals like Ayudha pooja need not be sent to processing plants. They can be converted into compost. Except for the core BBMP zones like south, east and west zones, all other BBMP zones have identified locations in association with farmers where the green wastes will be converted into compost, Ramakanth said. Our volunteers will collect green wastes and hand it over to farmers. The wastes will be dumped in the pits where it will be converted into compost, he added.
A BBMP official said, “Outer BBMP zones have farmers and they readily accept the green wastes as they can be converted into compost. But in core BBMP zones like south, west and east we hardly have any farmers to take the green waste from us and convert it into compost.”
Kannahalli plant which receives the garbage generated in South Bangalore was damaged due to fire last week. Hence the BBMP will take few days to clear the festival garbage generated in core BBMP zones, he said.
11-day long festivities end
The festivities associated with Durga puja came to an end on Tuesday with the immersion of idols of goddess Durga. According to the Bengali Association Bengaluru, there are around 5 lakh Bengalis, who have made Bengaluru their home. The festival, which is celebrated in honour Goddess Durga, began with Mahalaya on September 30 and concluded with Dasami on Tuesday with immersion of idols. Hundreds of people turned up during the idol immersion at Ulsoor lake. Waiting for their turn for bisarjan, Runu Roy, President of The Bengali Association, was escatic.
“Everyday we witnessed footfalls of twenty thousand people and it became more like a festival than just Pujo. And after the bisarjan there would be a sudden emptiness in our hearts,” she said. The art at the Ulsoor pandal was done by the students of the famous artist Jamini Roy’s school, she added.
