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Dumping waste outside offenders’ homes unlawful, say lawyers; urge scientific solutions Bengaluru: Legal experts have strongly criticised the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) for its new campaign, ‘Kasa Suriyuva Habba’, under which civic staff allegedly dumped garbage in front of homes of those repeatedly found littering in public spaces. The initiative, which the civic body claims is meant to discourage irresponsible waste disposal, has triggered widespread debate. Videos circulating on social media showed civic workers unloading garbage collected from roadsides onto the doorsteps of residents accused of flouting waste segregation and disposal rules. ‘No legal basis for such action’ Senior advocate G.R. Mohan said the campaign has no legal standing under existing municipal laws. “Those littering in public spaces can be booked under public nuisance provisions and FIRs can be registered. But the same laws also apply to officials dumping garbage at people’s doorsteps,” he said. Mohan recalled a previous instance when waste contractors dumped garbage at Freedom Park over non-payment of dues. “We went to court against that act too. There is a proper legal process to deal with waste management offences. Public shaming cannot be one of them,” he added. He further urged civic authorities to follow Solid Waste Management Rules framed by the Union government and adopt scientific handling of waste. ‘A ridiculous and unlawful act’ Advocate Vasanth Adithya described the campaign as “ridiculous and devoid of legal sanction”. “There is no provision for such measures in any of the municipal governance acts. Rather than sensitising citizens, the authorities have resorted to tokenism,” he said. He also pointed out the additional workload such campaigns impose on civic workers. “The city stays clean because of the efforts of pourakarmikas and contractual staff. Such gimmicks only add to their burden instead of improving systemic efficiency,” he noted. Citizens raise practical concerns Advocate Sushma Naveen, a resident of Jayanagar 9th Block, questioned the logic behind the move. “If garbage collection vehicles fail to turn up, can residents dump waste at the commissioner’s house?” she asked, adding that statutory bodies such as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and BSWML have well-defined duties that do not include moral policing. She also highlighted the difficulties faced by residents due to irregular waste collection schedules. “In some areas, vehicles arrive as early as 5:30 a.m., making it difficult for senior citizens to hand over waste. Keeping garbage overnight attracts stray dogs and creates hygiene issues,” she said. Civic body yet to clarify policy basis When asked about the legal provisions backing the initiative, GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao did not confirm whether the drive would be discontinued. “As of now, we are trying to focus more on monitoring, segregation, and improving the quality of service,” he said. Experts call for reform over rhetoric Legal and civic experts have urged authorities to focus on long-term measures such as efficient segregation, waste-to-energy solutions, and citizen education drives rather than punitive tactics. They also emphasised that public participation and predictable waste collection systems are crucial for sustainable urban sanitation.
