A Bengaluru couple was caught on camera dumping garbage on the roadside. Marshals tracked them to their home, dumped the waste back at their doorstep, and imposed a fine as part of the city’s strict anti-littering campaign.
Bengaluru: Among the many civic challenges plaguing Bengaluru, garbage disposal remains one of the most pressing issues. In a bid to curb the menace of littering, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has launched a strict awareness campaign targeting those who dump waste on roadsides. Under this campaign, officials have begun returning garbage to the doorsteps of habitual offenders and levying hefty fines to drive the message home.
Recently, a woman in Ganganagar learned this lesson the hard way when marshals caught her throwing garbage on the roadside. They recorded the incident on video, tracked her to her residence, and dumped the same garbage in front of her house as a warning.
Marshals Launched Early-Morning Vigil
The operation began as early as 5 am Marshals, stationed secretly in the area, waited to catch residents red-handed. When a couple arrived to dump their garbage, the officials began recording. Shortly after, the woman threw a bag of waste on the roadside and left. The marshals followed her to her home, confronted her with the video evidence when she denied the act, and promptly deposited the garbage at her doorstep.
Fear of Garbage Drives Behaviour Change
According to GBA officials, strict enforcement has begun showing results. Anyone caught littering will have the garbage dumped in front of their house, in addition to paying a fine. The approach aims to create social awareness and embarrassment to deter repeat offenders.
On 30 October, marshals dumped garbage outside 218 houses across Bengaluru and collected fines totalling ₹2.8 lakh in a single day. The crackdown has sparked widespread discussion both locally and nationally as Bengaluru’s waste management issues continue to draw criticism and affect the city’s image globally.
Fines and Penalties for Littering
Under the new enforcement drive, residents caught dumping garbage in public places are first fined ₹1,000. Their garbage is returned to their doorstep, often accompanied by drum-beating to draw neighbourhood attention.
Repeat offenders face stricter penalties: a fine of ₹5,000 and, in extreme cases, truckloads of garbage being dumped outside their residence.
While some citizens have praised the bold action as a necessary step towards civic discipline, others have expressed concern over public shaming as a method of enforcement.
Cleanliness Is a Shared Responsibility
Through this hardline campaign, GBA officials hope to instil a sense of accountability among residents and promote collective responsibility for keeping Bengaluru clean. As the initiative gains attention, authorities plan to extend similar vigilance across other zones of the city to ensure lasting behavioural change.