After the 11-day flower show at Bengaluru’s Lalbagh, it has turned into a garbage mess. The authorities had earlier promised a litter-free event however, things don’t look so promising.
Lalbagh has turned into a garbage trash
A day after the Independence Day flower show, Lalbagh Botanical Garden appeared like a garbage dump yard with rubbish scattered all over the walkways, pathways, lakeside, and every nook and corner of the heritage garden.
On the next day morning, walkers at the garden were welcomed by piles of plastic/paper plates, glasses, and cups, empty tins, plastic water bottles, prohibited polythene bags, food waste, etc.
As reported in Deccan Herald, the authorities said that heavy footfalls over the last few days in the Independence Day flower show resulted in garbage scattered around.
“During the first seven days of the show, we made sure that every visitor’s bag was checked to ensure that they do not carry food and drinks in plastic covers or bottles. However, on Sunday we had close to 1.5 lakh visitors, and Monday we had 3.5 lakh visitors. Hence, we could not conduct proper checks,” the Joint Director of Lalbagh Botanical Gardens’ Horticulture Department Dr. M Jagadeesh said to the DH.
“I have been a regular walker in Lalbagh for the last 30 years and garbage is a ritual after every flower show. But I’ve never seen so much garbage, so ruthlessly thrown all over, ever before. I looked hard to find a clean patch to walk on but in vain. The authority seems to be letting our prestigious legacy perish,” said a local resident.
This at #Lalbagh this morning, please don’t come and spoil if you can’t leave it clean pic.twitter.com/3bBtgCDxPu
— ಸೌಮ್ಯ | Sowmya ?? (@Sowmya_N_Raju) August 14, 2022
Cleaning the garden
A few vendors who had set up stalls inside the Lalbagh had also left behind large amounts of waste.
“The department should have given these vendors clear instructions on how to manage their waste before they leave the garden. What an assault on the garden these flower shows are, we are so saddened to see its condition. The garden takes many months to recover after each of these shows,” Bhaskar and Vani, a couple who have been walking in Lal Bagh for over 30 years now.
Meanwhile, Jagadeesh said nearly 130 workers are cleaning the garden. “They worked till 3 am today and at least two truckloads of waste were cleared. About 80% of the waste has been picked up. We will make sure the entire garden is cleaned by Wednesday,” he said.
Sir Horrible situation over here in lalbagh
In name of Independence Day People are spoiling the Bagh pic.twitter.com/kcRSYqVLvo
— Asim Amitav Panda (@panda_amitav) August 15, 2022
However, cleaners working on the ground said they would need another three days to clean the place. “They have littered the entire place. Wrappers and paper pieces are scattered even on the grass,” a worker, said.
