Bengaluru: Even garbage bins are not safe here!

Bengaluru: At a time when many Bengalureans are rolling up their sleeves up to adopt ‘2 Bins, 1 Bag’ method to dispose garbage, residents of Banashankari 3rd Stage are feeling disheartened. Their reason- “We are fed up of dustbin thefts and are annoyed buying new ones frequently!”

The residents rue that bins kept outside homes go missing by next morning and despite close monitoring, they have failed to nab the culprits. About a month ago, all the dustbins kept outside homes in a street in 1st Block (Katriguppe Water Tank Road) were stolen.

Bhagyalakshmi, a homemaker, said, “After hearing about ‘2 Bins, 1 Bag’ method, my family decided to buy the garbage disposal kit. The method seemed simpler and easier to follow. However, in the last month, we have bought new kits thrice as garbage-laden bin kept on the compound wall in the night goes missing by next morning. Now, we are tired of this method. I have switched back to disposing garbage in plastic covers.”

With the High Court recently recommending ‘2 Bins, 1 Bag’ method, many resident welfare associations have welcomed the three-way segregation. But such obstacles seem to be severely affecting the spirit of citizens who are open to change. The residents, who have held the BBMP officials responsible for this lapse, urge that an active involvement of the officials can put an end to such incidents.

Madhusudan. G, president, Residents’ Welfare Association, Bana shankari Third Stage, said, “Neither the garbage auto-tipper drivers, nor the garbage pickers have an ID for face recognition. We are in the belief that these workers will pick only our garbage. But very often bins go missing in the locality. The garbage contractors are least bothered about following any solid waste management rules. Why is the BBMP not penalizing such contractors? It’s time the BBMP takes action.”

If residents join hands with BBMP officials, this ‘theft menace’ can be put to an end permanently, said Lalita Mondretti, an advocate of 2 Bins, 1 Bag.

She suggested, “Assigning street-wise volunteers will help in curbing bin thefts. As volunteers, citizens need not have to do tough tasks. They have to keep a close eye on garbage collection every morning and ensure that certain garbage is collected only on the designated days. A report on garbage management of a locality can be submitted to the BBMP to keep the officials in loop about the developments. This way, many violations will come down.”