Women who paved the way for a trash-free Jogupalya area in Bangalore

Manjula P, Devika P and Devika R- all residents of Jogupalya were fed up of the civic issues plaguing their locality, but instead of depending upon Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), they decided to take steps themselves to improve it.

In the beginning, the three homemakers, tried to take up the garbage issue on 2nd Cross, 8th Street, Jogupalya, with the local corporator Goutham Kumar, requesting him to depute conservancy workers to clear the heaps of garbage on the street.

Speaking with iamin, Devika said, “We told him that we can bear the cost of hiring a tractor for the transportation of the garbage but the corporator arranged the tractor himself and sent workers to clear the area.’’

The area was cleaned but its maintenance became the next big task for the women. With no one to man the spot, many residents went back to their old ways of dumping waste on the roadside. “We decided to keep a vigil on those who dump garbage. It was easy for us to keep an eye on those who disposed garbage during the day but who would prevent people from doing the same at night? We then decided to keep a vigil at night as well. For six days, we took turns and kept vigil all night,’’ said Devika.

This initiative turned out to be more challenging than they had expected it to be. Many people discouraged them and even criticised their endeavour. ”It was so difficult for us to cope with the odour, especially when it rained. After successfully keeping vigil for six nights, the residents stopped dumping garbage at the spot. Then we decided to beautify the area by constructing a platform. We approached the residents for donations and we personally put in Rs 5,000 each. We inaugurated the platform on the occasion of Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar’s birthday on April 24,’’ said Manjula.

Now, their initiative has become so popular in the area, that others have drawn inspiration from the women. A spot near Vinayaka Condiments on Nandanavana Street was an eyesore till a few days back because of the garbage that was dumped on the stretch. Ambujamma, the owner of the building, followed the footsteps of these three women and decided to beautify the spot.

“I was fed up with the garbage menace. The conservancy workers were not regularly clearing the garbage and the area near my house resembled a garbage dump when it was not supposed to look like one. When I came to know about the success of three women 8th Street, I also spent Rs 8,000 to put up a mesh and keep some potted plants to discourage people from disposing waste,” she said.

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