Reality check: Not BBMP, but citizens are to be blamed for the clogged drainage systems in Bengaluru

The heavy showers on Monday in Bengaluru jolted us back to our senses. We, the citizens of Bengaluru, keep blaming BBMP for not doing their bit in preserving the city streets from flood, but here's the reality. It's we who have been responsible for the cumulative damage to the city. 

Consider this, three truckloads of packaging material were removed from storm water drains near the Sony junction in Koramangala alone. Civic bodies claim that the malls in the nearby areas are at fault. While the residents are yet to figure out how they are responsible for the mess, BBMP officials point out the thermocol and the plastic waste that flows out of houses clogs the drainage system. 

Speaking to the Bangalore Mirror, K Siddegowda, Chief Engineer, Storm Water Drains, BBMP said, "At Sony World Junction [Koramangala] alone, we lifted about three loads of thermocol on Monday. It weighed about 6 tonnes and took us several hours to clear. And this is the garbage that piles up every 10 days." He further said that this was the case in several parts of the city, especially in tech areas such as Koramangala, JP Nagar, and HSR Layout. This is because these areas have most of the e-commerce spaces. Siddegowda further said, "Even small electronic goods come packed in thermocol. Segregation of these items do not happen and people keep them at home. Slowly, they dump this near their house, and it eventually ends up in drains. That’s how the drains get clogged. Thermocol and plastic wraps can be found inside pipes that connect the drain system. If we do not address this problem first, flooding will happen again with the next rain."

Shopping malls are also at fault. BBMP officials say that people have often complained of these malls dumping garbage in the storm water drain.

No excuse for BBMP

Thermocols and plastic covers are a serious threat to the city and BBMP's inaction makes it worse.

Captain Raja Rao, the former expert adviser for the Urban Infrastructure, Expenditure Reforms Committee, said, "In 2015, the Government of India came up with new rules and regulations for solid waste management, in which it made it mandatory to treat thermocol, e-waste, battery cells and other such electronic wastes. And, yet, the BBMP has not implemented the rules. Even the public is not aware of them."

Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, he also said, "In 2007, I was the expert advisor for the committee on urban infrastructure that was appointed by the High Court. I had then proposed 112 recommendations in urban infrastructure and the BBMP agreed to implement 107. The one recommendation of 5 rejected topics was about treating SWD. I had recommended to start the mechanism of STPs in drains. The mechanism drags out particles like thermocol from the drain water. If the Palike had taken up this mechanism, today, we won’t have this problem."

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