Caught littering in Bengaluru? Civic body to trace offenders, dump trash at doorstep

Bengaluru's Solid Waste Management has started returning waste to habitual litterers' homes to combat illegal dumping.

Tired of repeated violations and growing garbage black spots, the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has decided to literally return the mess to its makers.

The image shows a garbage-filled road in Bengaluru. (X/@Vishwa0507)

From Thursday, the civic agency will begin dumping waste back at the homes of those caught repeatedly littering in public spaces, an unprecedented step aimed at shaming habitual offenders into compliance.

The initiative, described by BSWML CEO Karee Gowda as a “last resort,” comes after fines, awareness drives, and door-to-door campaigns failed to deter residents from illegally dumping garbage, Deccan Herald reported.

“Despite repeated warnings, many people continue to litter instead of handing over waste to our vehicles. This move is meant to hold them accountable,” Gowda said according to the publication.

According to officials, marshals stationed in all 198 wards have been tasked with identifying and video-recording offenders as evidence. Once traced, garbage found at black spots will be returned to their respective houses to drive home a message of responsibility.

BSWML claims the plan targets only those in areas where the door-to-door collection system functions effectively. However, civic experts caution that the problem runs deeper. They point to systemic issues such as shortage of auto tippers in several Assembly segments, irregular collection schedules, and instances where garbage vehicles skip routes that require longer waits or detours.

According to the report, officials admit that tracing offenders is difficult as much of the illegal dumping occurs at night or from moving vehicles. So far, at least one habitual litterbug has been identified in every ward, but the civic body concedes that’s just a small part of the citywide problem.

Bengaluru ranked fifth dirtiest

The city’s latest waste management crackdown comes at a time when Bengaluru, once celebrated as India’s clean and green tech hub, has slipped alarmingly in national cleanliness rankings.

According to the Swachh Survekshan 2025 survey, Bengaluru was ranked the fifth dirtiest city in the country among those with a population exceeding one million. The poor performance has drawn criticism of the city’s civic machinery, even as the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government pushes forward with high-profile infrastructure projects, from tunnel roads to flyovers.

While Bengaluru stumbled, other Indian cities surged ahead. Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai joined the elite ‘Super Swachh League’, recognised for outstanding cleanliness efforts.

Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow were declared India’s New Clean Cities, setting new urban sanitation benchmarks, according to the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 Results Dashboard unveiled on Thursday.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs noted that this year’s survey introduced a refined evaluation framework for metropolitan areas while simplifying parameters for smaller cities — a move designed to create a level playing field and encourage innovation in waste management.

For Bengaluru, the findings serve as a wake-up call. The civic body’s latest ‘return-the-trash’ initiative is seen by many as an attempt to reverse public apathy and restore the city’s fading reputation as a model metropolis.