10-day cleanliness drives falls short of target in Bengaluru, residents upset

Bengaluru: The recently concluded 10-day cleanliness initiative by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) has left officials and residents with differing takeaways.The campaign, which ran from April 21 to 30 under BBMP supervision, targeted 1,533 waste hotspots across eight zones. BSWML reports clearing 1,461 black spots and removing 11,894 tonnes of waste, just short of its 12,463-tonne target from 1,533 spots.Residents, who are now required to pay a cess on solid waste management, are unhappy. Many are frustrated as neighbourhoods continue to struggle with accumulating waste. The special drive's conclusion sparked social media posts from citizens with images of persistent garbage piles in their communities. BNS Ratnakar, an HSR Layout resident, said, "While HSR enjoys consistent waste segregation and collection, certain market areas contain persistent black spots requiring enhanced BBMP intervention, regular monitoring and surveillance. Citizens certainly need to take greater responsibility for proper waste disposal."On microblogging platform X, ‘Bengaluru Post' shared photos of black spots, stating, "Last week, BBMP announced a major clean-up initiative targeting black spots. Our ground investigation in south Bengaluru — Banashankari-Subramanyapura Main Road and Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Road — revealed this. ...Residents report these conditions have persisted long-term. BSWML and BBMP must enhance patrols and waste collection frequency."Rahul Goyal, a trader near Town Hall, said, "Each neighbourhood faces unique waste management issues. In high-density commercial zones like ours, many shopowners lack knowledge about proper disposal locations. SJP Road's sides remain littered with garbage. Sanitation workers can't effectively clean as parked vehicles block access, causing waste to accumulate. We need dedicated disposal systems for commercial establishments."When asked about these discrepancies, BSWML COO Ramamani told TOI, "Our primary focus wasn't solely on garbage black spots, but on locations where various materials — garbage, construction debris, discarded furniture, and other items — were being dumped on the roadside. We've successfully cleared most black spots, with only a few remaining in west and east zones."Addressing the recurring nature of these waste sites, she said, "The fundamental challenge is that areas cleaned in the morning often return to their previous state by the following day. Citizens must become more vigilant about waste management. If people continue disposing of garbage wherever they see existing waste piles, our cleaning efforts can only accomplish so much. Maintaining a clean city requires shared responsibility."