Podcast: How citizen activists are trying to solve Bengaluru’s garbage problem

by May 15, 2020 Waste Management
Over the past decade, Bengaluru's citizen activists were able to push the government to adopt sustainable waste management practices. Though garbage remains an issue in the city, they continue their work with optimism.

If you live in Bengaluru, you just cannot avoid the city’s waste management problem. Footpaths that are stinking and littered with waste are a common sight. This first episode of ‘Lessons from Bengaluru’ podcast series explores Bengaluru’s waste management problem, and what citizens are doing to address it.

Sandhya Narayanan of the Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT) describes how the city’s rapid growth from the early 2000s worsened the waste management problem. SWMRT has played a key role in identifying solutions to the issue and holding civic authorities accountable.

Lalitha Mondreti, also part of SWMRT, explains the 2 bin – 1 bag campaign she worked on. This is now a waste management model mandated by the state government.

A number of businesses too have emerged to provide ways for people to make more eco-friendly decisions. Two of which are ‘Cayal’, an app that lets people rent out items they don’t use frequently, and ‘Reimagined’ which sells upcycled products.

Find the full podcast series here.

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About Grace Madigan

Grace Madigan was an intern from Seattle, Washington. You can follow her @grace_madigan19.
Read more by Grace Madigan

Comments:

  1. Shyam says:
    May 17, 2020 at 4:04 am

    I am happy that this is attracting attention after such a long time. It is time that government pays serious attention lest we Bengalurians will sooner or later get exposed to pandemic similar to covid-19. It is so unfortunate that there is no respect for civic rules as every other guy wishes his garbage fill across roads including highways. Government should start fining the entire locality despite others not being responsible to the menace.

    Reply
  2. Brahmanyan says:
    June 2, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    I am sorry, waste management problem will not be solved unless the clearing of waste is given to some reputed Companies of international standard who have modern equipments and recruit enough people at various levels to handle it.

    Reply

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