Waste at Lalbagh flower show drops sharply

BENGALURU: Bengalurus plogging volunteers and the Horticulture Department reported a sharp decline in litter during the 12-day Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Garden that concluded on Monday, which saw a footfall of around 6.24 lakh visitors. Members of the Indian Ploggers Army, who combine jogging with picking up litter, reported that during the peak days of the show, August 15 to 17, they collected only about four sacks of dry waste per day, weighing roughly 6 to 8 kg each. In total, 12 to 13 sacks were gathered over three days. This is a sharp decline compared to earlier editions, when ploggers routinely picked up 16 to 20 sacks a day within a one square kilometre radius of the main exhibition area. Even in the January show, the group collected 10 sacks in a single day. I personally think that more and more citizens need to embrace Bring Your Own Cutlery and carry their basic kit to avoid single-use disposables. Organisers should also opt for cutlery rentals when they anticipate huge footfalls, said Plog Raja of the Indian Ploggers Army. M Jagadeesh, Joint Director of Horticulture (Parks and Gardens), told TNIE, We have collected one compactor truck of flowers, and another will be collected once the displays are removed. Dry waste such totaled about four compactor trucks. Last year, it was two trucks of flowers and six of dry waste, and this is a drastic decline. He said visitors were informed in advance that no plastic will be allowed. Over the past four editions, the department has switched from areca plates to rented steel plates to serve food to 650 to 700 police personnel and staff, further reducing waste. The public has shown a behavioural change which was the main contributor to this decline, he said.