‘Everyone must contribute to cleanliness’: CM Shivakumar launches ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday launched a ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign at Hebbal in the city, asserting that it is the responsibility of the citizens to keep the city clean as it belongs to them.

In a post on X, Shivakumar said that the campaign was launched by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda near the statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda near the Hebbal flyover.

“‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign for a clean city from today. Under this campaign, it has been decided to clear a total of 22,372 tonnes of waste, including construction waste, solid waste, old electric poles, pipes, earthen mounds, overgrown weeds and tree branches”, he said.

Meanwhile, addressing the gathering, CM Shivakumar said, “Mahatma Gandhi had said, ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’. It is our duty to clean Bengaluru. But it is your duty to protect Bengaluru. Bengaluru does not belong to the government. The assets of Bengaluru do not belong to the government. Bengaluru belongs to you. It is your property. You must protect your property. Keeping this in mind, I have launched this major campaign”.

The Chief Minister said that he directed the law enforcement agencies to strictly monitor illegal garbage and construction debris disposal using city-wide CCTV networks. The directives include the seizure of any vehicle that is used for dumping waste across Bengaluru.

“In the beginning, some people were bringing vehicles and dumping waste anywhere. I instructed the police, and notices were issued to all of them. There are cameras everywhere. For about fifteen days, things were under control. After that, they gradually returned to their old ways. Even now, I am telling the police that if anyone dumps construction debris or waste without permission, or buries waste on land without permission, then those vehicles should be seized. I want the police to strictly enforce this because they are the ones bringing and dumping the waste. So, we have to be very careful,” he said.

Shivakumar emphasised, “We must cultivate civic sense among our citizens. It is the responsibility of the people to preserve this.” He also announced that site owners under the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and municipal corporation will face a time boundation of five years to develop their plots.

“Whether it is a BDA site or any Corporation site, houses must be constructed within five years. From the very beginning, the site must be kept clean. If a house is not constructed within five years, then either a double-tax system should be introduced, or the site should be taken back,” he said.

Shivakumar urged the plot owners to construct homes rather than leaving sites vacant as passive investments, warning that the government cannot bear responsibility for maintaining neglected private properties.

“Banks are already providing loans for housing at low interest rates. You can build a small house first and later expand it into a bigger one if needed. But if you simply keep the site vacant as an investment and do nothing, then we as the government cannot be held responsible for all the problems and for maintaining cleanliness. You must protect your property. We must protect the state’s property,” he said. (ANI)