We fondly remember Bangalore as the garden city – tree-lined streets, an incomparable quality of life, and the glorious weather. Many of us, who had the opportunity to leave the city and our neighbourhood, came rushing back. That was how deep our love for the city has been for generations now.
But today, when Kaggadasapura residents step out of our four walls of homes and offices, our hearts bleed. Why?
Pic: Tamanna Mishra
Pic: Tamanna Mishra
Because Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) deems it fit to use the centre of Kaggadasapura – a central and populous residential area and home to diverse demographics and age groups – as a garbage dumping, collection, and segregation point. You heard that right!
Despite the known health hazards of garbage dumping in residential zones, BBMP couldn’t care less about the hygiene of our neighbourhood and the health and lives of Kaggadasapura residents.
If this is how BBMP treats an area that is high traffic for not just us poor white collar citizens but also Kendriya Vidyalaya, a Government Hospital, DRDO and CAIR, one has to wonder just how badly they treat other areas. The answer is clear.
Pic: Tamanna Mishra
Pic: Tamanna Mishra
On good days, Kaggadasapura Main Road is a stinking mess. The mountain of garbage covers half the road for a few hundred metres and breeds mosquitoes –the dengue variety among others. On bad days – and there are more of those – the area is fatally slippery, the road is blocked by BBMP garbage segregation trucks, the stench kills, elderly residents can’t walk freely out of the fear of accidents, schoolchildren throw up on their way to school, and the traffic roadblock is never-ending.
In a single shot, BBMP is successfully killing health, hygiene, productivity, and road safety in Kaggadasapura. That is the exact opposite of their job description and their competence is questionable. Kaggadasapura Main Road is the wasteland where our hard earned tax money and health & hygiene go to die. This neighbourhood will not take it lying down anymore.
The residents united against the situation many months ago. We knocked on the doors of several government and municipal authorities, including BBMP big wigs. Solutions offered to us just don’t last. Instead, the “solutions” just seem like tactics to silence the residents for a few weeks. Invariably, the garbage mountain comes right back to Kaggadasapura Main Road. It has been a vicious cycle and it’s
time to escalate matters to the next level.
We are now coming together to protest
Exhausted of the authorities’ indifferent attitude towards the issue, the residents of Kaggadasapura are coming together in a silent protest against the dump yard on the Main Road. The protest will be held on August 18, 11 am. Our single demand – healthy, hygienic, garbage-free and safe living conditions in Kaggadasapura.
We invite engaged citizens and media to come join and support us in our protest. Together, we can make Kaggadasapura and Bangalore livable again.
Hi Tamanna and Everyone!
I live near that locality too and I recently saw some noticeable development between Namjoshi Road and Basvanagar Road. The walls are painted on one side and most of the garbage is not seen there. The initiative was again taken by some aware citizens, NGO and supported by the corporate, who also cited the lack of land for segregation of waste.
While I truly believe your protest, I also think that there should be an awareness drive for citizens to understand garbage disposal better and there should be better regulations as well. I have seen people coming in their vehicles and dumping things there from around. Wish good luck and a cleaner city to all of us.
Hi,
Where is this protest being planned? How else can I contribute to make kaggadaspura and nearby localities better
This spot came up after the dumping infront of the Bhuvaneshwari Nagar Shiva temple, and primary health center was successfully terminated due the concerted efforts of some citizens. However, the dimension of dumping in the new site shown in the photograph, just 100 meters away from the old point, has increased phenomenally. It appears it is now a higher level aggregation point. I believe the plot behind this is owned by BBMP. Our MLA said a shopping complex will come up there and the dumping would be stopped.
Hi Soman – Much worse! And it is strange that the authorities are telling a new story everyday to every community, not to mention not exactly doing anything on ground about it. And why wait for a mall to rectify the situation? Aren’t their enough mall-less local businesses (not to mention, tax paying citizens) in the area that are already suffering at the hands of BBMP’s mess?
Hi – This is in Kaggadasapura Main Road, just where the garbage dump starts near Shiva Bhuvaneshwari Temple.
Details here – https://www.facebook.com/events/701232296892691/
Couldn’t agree more! While several apartments are already segregating waste, we are going to use the community coming together to once again strongly drive this point. Plans in progress to beautify the area as well once it stops being BBMP’s legit segregation and dumping point, in order to discourage citizens from reckless disposal in the area.
This is the case with Basavanagar and Ramesh Nagar as well. Good for nothing useless fellow SG Nagaraj the councillor has converted the Namjoshi road itself into garbage dump yard and segregation unit. The area has been turned into garbage land since this fellow came into power 5 years ago. Due to minority and cash politics, he has won again and will continue making personal wealth for the next 5 years. What more can we expect, Basavaraj, the MLA himself is the biggest thief/thug this city has ever seen.
Until only recently, Mr K.G.George was the Minister in charge of Bangalore. He should have been invited to preside over a function in the heart of Kaggadaspura with all this around. Even now, his party runs the government in tandem with HDK. Can they not also SEE and SMELL this stink, as you all do daily?