It's ironic that Bengaluru, regarded globally as an IT City, cannot deal with something as basic as garbage and establish scientific landfills that do not threaten people or the environment. It's even more incomprehensible how the streets of the city can remain strewn with garbage when the BBMP spends over Rs 550 crore annually on collecting and transporting it. While the bins have disappeared in the BBMP's enthusiasm for door- to- door garbage collection, the rubbish from homes finds its way onto the roads, where stray dogs and cows feed on it.
But can the civic agency alone be blamed for the mess? Experts point out that Bengalureans too lack civic sense as most don't bother to segregate the waste at source, which could help reduce the amount for disposal by as much as 80 per cent. "People should shed their indifference to the way garbage is treated and stop dumping it in their neighbours' backyards, making them vulnerable to disease," says Mr N. S. Ramakanth, member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table.
Pointing out that wet waste can be turned into compost for gardens and parks, he says the simplest way to deal with garbage is to segregate it. "Wet waste/kitchen waste must be collected in a container for conversion to compost or manure, and the dry waste disposed of seperately. The system works even better in apartments and group housing," he adds, explaining that about 80 per cent of solid waste can be managed this way, leaving the dry waste to be disposed off only once a week. "You can either sell the dry waste or hand it over to rag pickers," he suggests, underlining that the time has come for action on this front.
He believes the authorities need to make segregation at source mandatory for garbage and penalise those who don't fall in line. "Making it mandatory is the only way people will follow the procedure," he contends.