A whole week has gone by after the rule on garbage segregation at source came into effect, but Bengalureans still seem to be cold to the idea. Though there has been some change in a few residential localities and apartments in the city, where people have started making an effort to segregate waste, a majority of the Bengalureans are still callous towards segregating waste, thus pouring cold water on BBMP’s plans.
On Sunday too, most of the residents handed over mixed waste to pourakarmikas who collected it without refusing or questioning them Commenting on how citizens are failing on their part to follow the waste segregation rule, Ms Vani Murthy, a member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table, said, “Unless and until the citizens are fined, there seems to be no change. Every day, in our ward (Malleswaram) it self, people are giving away mixed waste which is being taken in trucks. People seem to be taking the BBMP and its rules for granted”. Palike Commissioner Rajneesh Goel, however, feels that unless and until citizens make an effort, nothing much can be achieved. “It does not take us much time to instruct the pourakarmikas to stop collecting mixed waste from houses. But if we do so, there is a high possibility that the people will pick up an argument with the pourakarmikas for refusing to collect the waste. They will then blame the BBMP stating that we are not clearing the waste and garbage is piling up. Unless citizens take the responsibility, there is no use blaming the government body.”
Meanwhile, residents in many areas complained that the pourakarmikas had not turned up for almost 4-5 days to collect the waste, which is piled up and soaking after the rain. Heaps of garbage were found on roads in areas like Byappanahalli, Ulsoor, Kamanahalli and Jayanagar. “It has been four days since the pourakarmikas have come to collect the waste from our area. The garbage has been piling up and the rain is making it worse. If they want to segregate waste, they might as well collect it as they promised,” fumed Mrs Latha, a resident of Kammanahalli.