Mangaluru: A 25-year-old from Gurupura is using social media to highlight waste dumping along the Gurupura riverbank and roadside stretches in Bajpe and Gurupura.Vishnu Gurupura, who earlier worked in Bengaluru for around three-and-a-half years and is now employed at a local construction company, said he began focusing on waste awareness after observing increasing garbage dumping in the region.
Waste dumped adjacent to Gurupura river on Ulaibettu road. Waste dumped adjacent to Gurupura river on Ulaibettu road
He said several locations, including riverbanks, have turned into dumping spots. One of the worst-hit stretches is near the Gurupura bridge on Ullaibettu Road under the Mangaluru City Corporation, which has remained unattended for weeks despite repeated complaints and videos. Waste is spread across a 500-metre stretch and has entered the river. While authorities respond and take action in most places, the Ullaibettu stretch remains pending, he said.Vishnu has been creating awareness videos while travelling on his bike, documenting garbage dumping, potholes and accident-prone zones. He said he had long planned to produce such content and has so far made around 10 videos focusing on waste issues. He added that many users now reach out asking him to highlight problems in other areas.Improper waste segregation remains a major concern, he said, adding that despite govt guidelines, many dump mixed waste due to inconsistent garbage collection. He plans to involve friends and others through social media to form teams and conduct clean-up drives twice a month on alternate Sundays. A riverbank clean-up is scheduled for next week.However, he pointed out that waste often reappears after cleaning, making sustained efforts difficult. Another challenge is the collection of waste after clean-up. He said the corporation directed him to the panchayat, while panchayat officials stated that a tender-based company does not accept unsegregated waste.While authorities respond to social media posts, action on the ground remains inconsistent, he said, adding that they have urged installation of CCTV cameras, but action is awaited.One of his recent videos on waste issues near Ammunje went viral, but he said action there was delayed compared to other panchayat areas.Meanwhile, officials from Badaga Belur panchayat said steps to address dumping had already been planned and banners prepared before the video surfaced. Around the same time, the reel was posted, and both developments happened together. The Panchayat has installed banners warning of a Rs 5,000 fine for dumping waste and introduced a Rs 1,000 reward for reporting violations.
