Watch: Garbage Burning Mars Bengaluru’s Pristine Lalbagh

Visitors of Lalbagh have not only spotted huge piles of garbage being burnt, but also empty alcohol bottles.

Visitors of Lalbagh Botanical Garden have observed that it has turned into a dump yard of late.

(Photo: Roshni Balaji/The Quint)

Taking a stroll at Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru might not be as inviting as it used to be. The visitors of the sprawling garden have observed that certain parts of it have turned into a dump yard of late. They have not only spotted huge piles of garbage being burnt, but also several empty alcohol bottles thrown around within the park.

Spread over 240 acres, Lalbagh is known to be one of the major tourist destinations in Bengaluru. (Photo: Roshni Balaji/The Quint)

Lalbagh, known to house a large collection of tropical plants, is one of the major tourist attractions in Bengaluru. Instead of breathing the garden’s fresh air, visitors have been inhaling fumes and particulate matter.

Voice of Regular Visitors

Ramkumar has been noticing alcohol bottles scattered around within the premises of Lalbagh.(Photo Courtesy: BK Ramkumar)

BK Ramkumar has been taking a morning walk in Lalbagh for decades. Over the last few months, he has been noticing mounds of trash along with alcohol bottles within the premises, especially behind the Kempe Gowda tower.

There have been many instances where I’ve found hundreds of beer bottles being burnt. This is a clear indication of the presence of anti-social elements roaming around here.

BK Ramkumar

The smoke emitted by burning leaves, trash, and other plastic substances has been causing serious health and environmental hazards. While some blame the presence of food stalls and vendors within the park, others have pointed fingers at the management’s futile attempts to resolve the issue.

Authorities Pass the Buck to Unknown Miscreants

While the citizens continue to hold the authorities responsible, MR Chandrashekar, Deputy Director, Dept of Horticulture, said that certain unknown miscreants are behind the menace. “People have been throwing alcohol bottles and other rubbish from outside, mainly across the Siddapura wall on the edge of the garden. We are trying our best to curb this and very soon we will come up with ways to tackle the problem,” he said.