The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) solid waste management unit, tasked with preserving the capital’s aesthetic appeal, has registered a staggering 11.88 lakh cases of littering and similar offenses over the past five years. During this period, fines amounting to Rs 30.85 crore have been collected from offenders.
Instances of littering, illegal dumping, prohibited plastic usage, spitting, and open defecation persist across various public spaces in the city, including roads, playgrounds, parks, and bus stands. Despite concerted efforts by the BBMP to combat these activities, the problem persists, tarnishing the city’s ambiance.
Since 2019, the BBMP’s solid waste management unit has intensified its enforcement efforts, resulting in the highest fine collection in years. As part of its garbage-free city initiative, the BBMP has deployed marshals, health officers, and engineers at the ward level to tackle the issue.
Awareness campaigns, including wall writings urging citizens to dispose of waste responsibly, have been ongoing. However, the entrenched practice of littering, especially in areas like bus stands, parks, and footpaths, continues to degrade the city’s environment.
Marshals vigilantly monitor and penalize individuals who discard waste on roadsides, vacant lots, and drains, including those who transport household waste and construction debris in plastic covers during the night or early morning.
Despite littering being a punishable offense, some members of the city’s intellectual elite are also implicated in perpetuating this behavior, underscoring the need for continued education and enforcement measures to instill a culture of cleanliness and civic responsibility.
