Bengaluru: Bengaluru North City Corporation (BNCC) is close to achieving its target of clearing 100 garbage blackspots in 45 days, with 86 of the identified locations already reclaimed as of Friday.The initiative, named UB 100 (Uttara Bengaluru 100), was launched on June 15 to eliminate chronic garbage dumping spots across north Bengaluru through deep cleaning, beautification, and measures to prevent fresh dumping. Officials said the campaign could serve as a model for other civic bodies. “We aren’t just removing garbage but also identifying the reasons why waste is being dumped at a particular location and addressing those issues to prevent recurrence,” said BNCC commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar.The campaign is being carried out by BNCC staff, pourakarmikas and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) personnel with technical support from Arun Pai of Project Walkaluru. The corporation has also been organising clean-up drives with the participation of residents and volunteers.Apart from clearing waste, the civic body has undertaken civil engineering works wherever required and beautified several reclaimed locations with paintings, landscaping, and other improvements to discourage fresh dumping.Officials said maintaining the cleaned sites remains a priority. At several vulnerable locations, BSWML has deployed night vigilance teams to prevent garbage from being dumped again. Marshals and pourakarmika supervisors monitor these sites until midnight or 1am, followed by another round of patrolling from 4am or 5 am. In some cases, locations have been monitored continuously for nearly two weeks after the clean-up.“While we do impose fines on those who litter, our focus is to bring them into the door-to-door waste collection system. We collect their addresses and ensure that garbage collection vehicles cover their homes from the following day,” said Thirthaprasad L, assistant general manager, BSWML, who oversees Byatarayanapura division.In Byatarayanapura division, 15 of the 20 identified blackspots have been cleared under the initiative. Officials said more than 20 other garbage-prone locations in the division had been beautified even before the launch of UB 100.The initiative has also seen resident participation. Near Tata Nagar, members of an apartment complex helped clean a nearly 200-metre stretch that had become a garbage dumping spot. They also contributed flower pots for beautification and have continued to maintain the area. Officials said residents have since started using the stretch for evening walks.The commissioner appealed to citizens to cooperate with the corporation’s waste management system, pointing out that door-to-door garbage collection is occasionally affected by vehicle shortages, breakdowns and non-cooperation from contractors. “If garbage collection is delayed by a day, residents should store the waste and hand it over when the collection vehicle arrives instead of dumping it in public places,” Kumar said.Officials said the campaign will continue even after all 100 identified blackspots are cleared, with several residents approaching the corporation to undertake similar clean-up and beautification works in their neighbourhoods.
