BCC launches late-night vigil to curb littering

Belagavi: In a bid to curb persistent littering and eliminate garbage blackspots, the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) has intensified enforcement by deploying sanitation workers for late-night patrols and imposing on-the-spot penalties on violators.The civic body has launched a special night-time ‘blackspot watch' drive at some key locations. Sanitation staff have been stationed at these points to monitor illegal dumping and take immediate punitive action against offenders.Despite repeated clean-up drives and removal of several black spots, authorities say the problem persists due to continued negligence by some residents and traders, who dump waste at the same locations. This comes even as door-to-door waste collection services are available across the city.Officials noted that such irresponsible practices are undermining ongoing cleanliness efforts and leading to the emergence of new garbage hotspots. To address this, CCTV surveillance has been strengthened in sensitive areas, while additional night patrols have been introduced in areas without camera coverage.Sanitation teams have been empowered to identify violators and impose fines on the spot. The civic body has indicated that enforcement measures will be further tightened in the coming days.At the same time, sanitation workers have highlighted operational challenges and urged greater cooperation from citizens. The city corporation commissioner Karthik K said that maintaining cleanliness is a shared responsibility, where public participation is essential to keep the city clean and free of garbage black spots. Blackspot watch drive will continue as a part of vigilance and creating awareness as well," he said.