Waste-wise, Palike gives residents a wake up call

‘Wake Up, Clean Up Bengaluru’, the City’s largest waste management event, started on
Sunday.

The week-long garbage mela, jointly organised by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and Bangalore Connect, showcases solutions to the garbage menace that has plagued the City.

“To drive home the point, a replica of a landfill was created inside the Freedom Park, with garbage brought in from Mavallipura landfill,” said Dandagi Gurupad, one of the co-organisers of the event.

Interactions

Visitors to the event interacted with solution providers and saw demonstrations of waste converters and composting machines.

Vijay Sindagi, who had his rotating composter on display, said: “The event is a good initiative. If only the BBMP had started the initiative a decade ago, many of the problems we are facing today could have been averted. People should participate in events in large numbers.”

Sindagi, who has an engineering background, invented the composter four years ago. It turns kitchen waste into compost when rotated manually.

Biogas plants, leaf shredders, solar light products, plastic collectors, CFL crushers, plastic collectors were among exhibits on display.

Plastic recycling

Karnataka State Plastic Association, involved in low and high grade plastic recycling, showed how plastic can be reprocessed to produce materials such as irrigation pipes, stools and chains.

Rajashekar, general secretary of Kalyana Nagar Waste Management Committee, said: “It’s a small step by the BBMP. I am happy that at least now they have realised the need to create awareness about waste management among public.”