Bengaluru: Still tossing your parcel boxes or e-commerce wrappers onto the road? Think again. The city's waste management agency could be watching.
Between Aug 2025 and Jan 2026, an intensified anti-litter enforcement drive by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) resulted in over Rs 3.6 crore being collected in penalties and 82,000 violations being booked, according to official data accessed by TOI.
The crackdown, backed by CCTV surveillance and ward marshals on the ground, targeted improper waste disposal, plastic ban violations, and public nuisance offences, including open urination and spitting, across the city corporation limits.
According to officials, each city corporation has two sub-divisions, with five surveillance cameras installed in each sub-division to monitor littering hotspots. Cases are usually mapped by zone, and action is initiated based on footage and complaints received through the helpline. Officials said more cameras are likely to be added to curb blackspots.
Data shows enforcement picked up sharply after Aug. While the first month recorded 6,168 cases, generating Rs 25.1 lakh in penalties, Sept saw 21,257 violations — the highest — and Rs 98 lakh in penalties. Collections remained steady thereafter: Rs 56 lakh in Oct (12,625 cases), Rs 61.8 lakh in Nov (14,337 cases), Rs 56.5 lakh in Dec (13,095 cases), and Rs 66 lakh in Jan (15,011 cases).
Karee Gowda, CEO of BSWML, said enforcement was strengthened to ensure responsible waste disposal. "We launched multiple initiatives to catch litterbugs and book cases based on complaints received through the helpline. Our marshals, along with local staff, were effective in preventing random dumping on the streets," he said.
Among the more dramatic initiatives was the launch of ‘Kasa Suriyuva Habba' (Garbage Dumping Festival) in late 2025. Using video evidence, marshals traced habitual offenders who dumped waste late at night. Instead of merely issuing fines, officials returned the dumped garbage to the violators' doorsteps under supervision. During its pilot phase, 218 households got their waste "gifted" back in a single day.
"The message is clear — if you throw it on our streets, we will bring it back to your home," a senior official said.
Plastic, the costliest violation
While solid waste violations accounted for the highest number of cases, plastic ban breaches resulted in heavier financial penalties. In Jan 2026 alone, plastic violations brought in Rs 24.7 lakh. Under the revised norms, commercial establishments can face fines up to Rs 50,000 for repeat offences, while domestic users face a flat Rs 2,000 fine for dumping — a sharp increase from the earlier Rs 500.
The enforcement drive also extended to public hygiene violations. Over the six months, 308 cases of public urination and 183 cases of spitting were booked, resulting in Rs 45,100 in fines. Though the numbers are significantly lower than rubbish and plastic violations, officials say penalising such behaviour is crucial to improving overall cleanliness standards and discouraging repeat offenders in busy markets and commercial areas.
The pick-up issue
While enforcement through fines appears to be gaining momentum, many residents point to persistent gaps in door-to-door waste collection, saying irregular pick-ups often force citizens to dump garbage on roads.
Shivakumar, a resident of Domlur, told TOI that penalties alone will not solve the issue. "Firstly, the fines are too low for habitual offenders. They should be much higher to create real deterrence. At the same time, BSWML must improve service delivery. Door-to-door collection is irregular in many areas, and vehicles do not arrive at fixed times. While fines are fine, the service should also improve," he said.