Markets, immersion sites strewn with post-fete waste

Even as the festive fervour continues, heaps of garbage have piled up across the city on Friday. Residents, however, said the interior areas were better this time compared to previous years.

Though the condition of the city was not all that bad a day after the festival, some fear that the worse is yet to come, as most people immerse idols on the third day after the festival (Saturday).

Though most residential areas and bylanes were clean, some places like Sankey Tank, Yediyur Lake and areas like K R Market, Malleswaram market and Gandhi Bazaar saw garbage strewn around on Friday afternoon.

Some residents said Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials have managed the disposal of huge piles of solid waste better this time. Thanks to the extra work by the civic workers, most of the residential areas did not have more than the usual waste.

“The streets used to be a mess a day after the festival every year. This time, the areas look fairly better and it is good to see that,” said Jayamma K, a resident of Vidyapeetha ward.

According to the BBMP, close to 3 lakh (2,82,388) idols were immersed on Thursday. While 1,69,394 idols were immersed in mobile tankers and some lakes, 1,12,994 were immersed at Sankey Tank, Yediyur lake and at Halasuru lake.

The number of PoP Ganeshas immersed were comparatively less this time at 6,861 as against 1,06,133 clay idols. BBMP has recorded 216.7 tonnes of additional waste due to the festival, this time. Bangalore South zone saw the most number of idol immersions with 65,325.

“We have deployed 25 extra trucks across the city to dispose of the additional waste that accumulates after the festival. All the nodal officers have been playing their part and this has helped in keeping the city from becoming an eyesore,” said Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner, SWM, BBMP.

He also said that the BBMP is trying to re-cycle PoP into construction material.