Bengaluru residents battle mounting waste

Officially, Bengaluru is 'bin‑less', meaning there are no public trash cans. There are hundreds of illegal garbage dumps in the city, despite regular waste collection, causing unbearable living conditions for residents. One problem is that some 5,000–6,000 tons of wasteare generated daily but it isn’t regularly handed over to waste-collection vehicles, or properly segregated. Citizens have begun ‘plogging drives’, picking up trash while jogging, and other community‑led solutions. In the suburb of HSR Layout, residents have achieved 90% segregation and compost organic waste locally. In one housing complex in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, residents took control after contractors mismanaged trash collection and separation, cutting fees and generating compost income. These grassroots efforts show the potential of decentralized waste management—if everyone participates.