Bengaluru: A shocking pattern of civic misconduct has emerged in Bengaluru — where residents are allegedly being harassed and humiliated by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) and Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials in the name of enforcing waste disposal laws.
Citizens across several zones claim that civic staff have begun dumping full auto-loads of garbage outside individual homes after identifying them as “offenders” who threw waste on the streets instead of handing it over to vendors.
What’s worse, officials are reportedly tracing residents through e-commerce delivery bills found in the litter, confronting them at their homes, collecting ₹2,000 in fines, and then dumping trash at their doorstep as a form of “public punishment.”
No Legal Basis for Public Humiliation
However, a careful reading of the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) Act, 2020, reveals no legal provision authorizing such punitive actions.
According to Schedule VII of the Act, penalties for littering are clearly defined — ₹1,000 for the first offence and ₹2,000 for repeat offences.
The law does not empower civic authorities to transport or dump garbage in front of any individual’s residence as punishment.
This blatant misuse of authority, activists argue, is not just unlawful but degrading, and violates basic principles of civic responsibility and human dignity.
Civic Overreach Demands Judicial Scrutiny
The matter, experts say, warrants immediate intervention by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, as it reflects a disturbing pattern of administrative excess.
“Waste management laws empower authorities to collect fines — not to shame citizens. Dumping garbage in retaliation is harassment and a violation of citizens’ rights,” said a retired legal officer familiar with municipal governance.
Under the Greater Bengaluru Governance framework, waste collection and disposal are obligatory duties of the five city corporations.
However, instead of improving waste logistics, these civic bodies are allegedly weaponizing cleanliness drives against residents.
Taxpayers Under Siege
Many of the targeted residents are IT professionals and salaried citizens who leave home early for work and often miss the morning garbage pickup.
“It’s not that we don’t care — we just aren’t home when the BBMP auto comes. One day, an e-commerce bill with my name was found in the trash pile. A week later, a civic truck showed up outside my home and dumped waste at my gate,” said a Whitefield resident.
Such incidents are not isolated. Several resident welfare associations (RWAs) from Mahadevapura, Bellandur, and Yelahanka have begun documenting these “garbage retaliation” cases to present to higher authorities.
Waste Collection is a Civic Duty, Not a Weapon
Experts point out that waste collection and segregation are public services, not citizen punishments.
“Instead of adjusting collection times or offering evening pickups for working households, civic agencies are penalizing people for systemic inefficiencies,” said a member of a Bengaluru-based urban think tank.
The Karnataka High Court is urged to take suo motu cognizance of this matter — not only to protect citizens from harassment but also to remind civic bodies of their legal and ethical obligations.
As Bengaluru battles mounting waste and public apathy, one thing is clear: the city’s cleanliness mission cannot come at the cost of civic decency and citizen respect.
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