That the BBMP has made a mess of garbage disposal is becoming clearer by the day as the city continues to suffer the stench of uncleared waste in many areas. The problem is worse in some localities than in others. Nijaguna Road in Gavipuram, Basavanagudi , for instance, resembles a dumpyard today.
Belying the BBMP's claims that garbage is being collected all over the city, rubbish litters the road here at every corner, making the lives of the residents miserable. Many in the 30 or more independent houses and several apartments lining the road have fallen sick as it groans under the weight of the garbage that remains uncleared for days as hardly any pourakarmikas turn up to clean the area.
When they do it is as infrequently as once in ten days or a fortnight. And to the anger of the residents, the garbage is usually collected only after they make several phone calls to the officials concerned.
“We find it difficult to even walk on the road because of the piles of garbage and the smell from the rotting waste," the complain. Adding to the people's troubles, street dogs are drawn to the rubbish and chase pedestrians who may be out on the road braving the stench. “It has become very difficult to leave early to work because of the street dogs that come charging at passers- by,” complains Ms Radhika. P, a teacher.
People of some of the apartments say they are ready to pay the BBMP to collect the garbage from their grounds, but there has been no response from it. In the face of such disinterest from the BBMP they too have lost the motivation to segregate their waste. “We have no space for a composting unit in our apartment, so we are completely dependent on the BBMP. Although we have been segregating our waste , no one arrives to collect it and so we are now wondering whether it is even worth the effort,” says Mr. Bharath Kumar, who lives in one of the apartments here.