Dasara’s green waste adds to the stink in Bangalore

The city does not seem to be waking up to the stench left behind by the10-day Dasara festivities which ended on Wednesday.

Large heaps of garbage dotted the markets and street corners everywhere. The market in Frazer town looked more like a dump yard after the Ayudha puja.

“The roads were already smelling bad. Now the stench is more severe. Before the start of the festivals, city fathers must tell people through papers and other media on how to dispose of waste. The leftover food, puja flowers and leaves have added to the garbage in the city,” said Surya Narayana Rao of Cox Town.

According to Basavanapura’s ward corporator K Poornima, there was a lot of green waste.
Although people are segregating waste, garbage collectors are mixing them. “Right now, the contractor in charge of lifting the waste is shifting it to his agriculture land,” she said.

In some places, the leftover food is thrown on the streets attracting mosquitoes, dogs and pigs.

“Many have thrown them on the roadside in plastic covers,” said Balachander Naidu, a resident of Frazer town.

While people are complaining of garbage piled up in the streets, Kempegowda ward corporator YN Ashwath said that in his ward, cows had polished leftovers like banana stalk and leaves used for he puja . “As pourakarmikas (conservancy staff) were on a holiday for Ayudha puja, garbage got piled up on Tuesday. However from Wednesday, they have startedclearing the garbage. In two days, the streets will be cleaned up,” he said.

In Malleshwaram, the unsold plantain leaves werestrewn on the streets. Decaying flowers, fruits and vegetables piled up on the streets raised a stink.

“But the worst cases were of pumpkins and ash-gourds smashed on the road. It seems people have no regard for public space,” said Sumitra Ranganath, a resident ofMalleshwaram. RT Nagar and Rajajinagar had similar problems.

“Plastic covers and papers which get wet cannot be used for recycling or be disposed of. This has been a constant problem in the city,” said Ananda Kilijor, a software engineer living in Rajajinagar. M Muniraju, corporator ofYelahanka Satellite Town ward, said 60% of the garbage in his ward had been lifted.

“Green waste has been dumped at Yelahanka MLA SR Vishwanath’s agriculture land. The plastic waste was cleared by an NGO. Only the mixed waste is piled up in the area. It will be sent to Mandur landfill and nearby quarries,” he said.