So, can we smell the sampige again?
I hate to say this, but Bangalore does have the ‘Garbage City‘ tag attached to it. So, I was quite happy to read on ndtv.com that the BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike) is starting a ”Suvarna Bengalooru Swachha Bengalooru” project, worth Rs. 79 crore to keep the roads of Bangalore clean and tidy. Thankfully, the BBMP has offloaded the work to 30 private agencies as a service contract. I have a feeling the offloading will help the BBMP tremendously.
An often seen sight in any vacant land in the city
Please call the BBMP helpline number (080-64530153) if you have any issues with garbage anywhere in the city. They are promising to act immediately. I am going to be calling this number in a day or two.
Littering and dumping of wastes on every available empty bit of land in the city is such a done thing. We can see that the prestigious areas in the heart of the city are quite well maintained. But often times, the other areas are neglected and left to fend for themselves. We also know that the stray dog problems that we faced even a few weeks ago was directly related to the inefficient disposal of garbage in those areas. I must say that I am quite impressed with the new steps that the BBMP has taken. And if their helpline works well, as citizens, we can do our bit too.
The poor calf trying to find food amidst the plastic heap
With the garbage gone, maybe we can smell our flowers again?
But, the question does arise about how the BBMP is going to manage the disposal of the collected garbage. Recently I did read that Bangalore doesn’t have any place to dispose of nearly 80% of its municipal waste!!
Chitra,
Thanks so much for that number. Recently I called the BBMP’s PRO officer for his help with a garbage disposal problem near our home. He directed me to call the concerned area official who’s number he did not have then BUT promised he’d call back. I believed him then. Now, I’m a wiser man! *Sigh*
Ravi
That photo looks like it was taken in my hometown.
A universal problem, that would be so easy to solve if people just took the (hardly) extra effort.
-Robert
Ah…one day, I hope, there will be a post from you, saying, “We CAN smell the Sampige again” and with pictures of Sampige trees to illustrate it…
What gets my goat most often is the indiscriminate dumping of construction rubble. On road sides, in drains, on roads, in lakes, on open pieces of land. It’s terrible and I haven’t seen this happening in any other city in India.
Hopefully they can tackle this as well…
Ravi, did you get a chance to call the helpline number?
Nope. But this week I will take some snaps of the place which I want to complain about and then call them early next week! Lets see how things go!