Bengaluru's Waste Warfare: The Circular Economy Challenge

Bengaluru battles garbage dumps known as 'blackspots,' despite implementing a user fee. Shekar Prabhakar of Hasiru Dala Innovations highlights the need for political will, disciplined policy implementation, and decentralised waste management to support the city's circular economy and empower waste pickers.

Bengaluru residents frequently take to social media to spotlight the city's persistent issue of garbage 'blackspots'—unauthorized dumps that emerge near parks and roadsides. Despite implementing a 'garbage fee,' questions linger about waste management's future, transparency, and the roles of various service providers, according to Shekar Prabhakar, CEO of Hasiru Dala Innovations.

While the city holds advanced waste management regulations, Prabhakar underscores the lack of political will and disciplined implementation as persistent obstacles. Infrastructure challenges, like limited land for waste processing—and the example of their constrained biogas plant—illustrate the necessity for strategic policies and private sector collaboration.

Prabhakar advocates for decentralised waste management emphasizing segregation. His venture has effectively improved waste collection and empowered waste pickers, reflecting the potential for scalable impact when policy and practice align. The solution, he asserts, requires consistent discipline, political support, and resourceful handling of waste at local levels.

(With inputs from agencies.)