A small part of our neighbourhood (Osborne road and nearby roads in Sivanchetty Garden, near Ulsoor lake) has been converted to a garbage free area. This experimental initiative comprises four roads spread over 1 square kilometre. The same strategy will be adopted to covert the entire neighbourhood into a garbage free one.

Our applause to the team lead by resident Divya Nahender. The team was formed with volunteers inspired by similar initiatives in Kumara Park locality. They identified the black spots (with garbage) and prepared a sketch of the entire area; Divya and her team invited residents to a meeting in her residence and explained the various steps of the plan.

The team talked about the break-out of various diseases nowadays and the need to control the same with simple steps such as segregation of garbage, in the process, making money out of waste.

ITC (the big corporate firm which also manufactures paper) has come forward to collect the dry waste once a week, such as papers, plastic and metal at a price ranging from Rs. 3 to Rs. 5 per kilogram. The waste includes almost everything ranging from candy wrappers, bit papers to sweet/biscuit packet wrappers, discarded toys and cans to newspaper and magazines.

All dry waste has to be categorised into three types as paper, plastic and metal. It was a big exercise and with the help and co-operation of the staff of the corporation (BBMP) and its contractor, we charted the timings of the hand-carts to collect garbage from door to door. The autos and lorry were asked to pick-up the same from these carts immediately and directly.

The paurakarmikas (cart collectors) are provided with whistles on their rounds and registration books were given to be timestamped and signed by the volunteers periodically. Private policing is also done to identify garbage disposers in open areas, and educate people. With the help of a social organisation, Ashwini Trust, students of this area also got involved in this project .

Home composting is encouraged to make use of the kitchen and garden waste. Garden waste such as tree trimmings, plant cuttings, weeds are also being cleared from resident's doorstep on prior intimation.

Fumigation and insecticiding are carried out every week to prevent breeding of mosquitoes. As a result, the quantity of garbage has reduced and is easy to handle. The entire operation is expected to extend to the entire ward shortly and one can then see a model garbage free ward of Bangalore East. ⊕

D R Prakash is the founder-president of the Osborne Road Area Residents Welfare Association.

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