Bengaluru’s garment boom leaves toxic trail, 5000 tonnes of textile waste annually: Study
Bengaluru: Bengaluru, often hailed as the “garment capital” of India, is grappling with a mounting textile waste crisis, generating an estimated 5,000 tonnes of fabric waste each year, according to a new study by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC).
The study, cited by Deccan Herald on Sunday, highlights a growing environmental concern linked to Bengaluru’s thriving garment sector, as the city struggles to manage the overwhelming volume of discarded clothes and fabric scraps, underscoring the urgent need for a shift towards a circular economy.
Researchers S. Manasi, Channamma Kambara, and Mrinalini Goswami identified the absence of a centralised textile waste database as a governance gap. Although agencies like the Department of Handlooms and Textiles (DHT) and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) maintain fragmented records, their focus is limited to regulatory compliance rather than holistic waste management.
This approach has left a large portion of the issue unaddressed. While large export-oriented factories typically manage their textile waste more systematically, the same cannot be said for thousands of small-scale tailoring units and local shops. These smaller players often dispose of fabric scraps alongside regular trash, worsening the burden on an already strained waste system.
The ISEC study also traced the post-disposal journey of collected textile waste. Around 40% is sent to recycling hubs like Tiruppur and Panipat, while another 20% is downcycled locally into items such as mattresses and soft toys. However, these products have a short lifespan, usually under a decade, after which they are burned or end up in landfills, contributing to pollution.
One of the most alarming findings is the unsegregated mixing of hazardous industrial cotton waste with general garbage, leading to toxic emissions when the waste is burned. The study points out the high environmental cost of this linear model, noting that over 75% of waste is burnt, releasing toxic emissions.
Meanwhile, a large share of the labour involved in waste sorting is handled by informal sector workers, predominantly women. The report notes that these workers operate in unsafe conditions, lacking protective gear, basic facilities, and social support.
The report calls for a national textile waste management policy and the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, which would hold manufacturers accountable for the lifecycle of their products.
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Pak police registers case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on LeT co-founder
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Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's Punjab Police on Friday registered a case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder Amir Hamza, who suffered bullet injuries in the attack in Lahore.
On Thursday, two unidentified gunmen riding on a bike opened fire on the vehicle of the private TV channel 24NewsHD TV, owned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Peco Road in Lahore near the TV channel's office.
In the attack, Hamza suffered bullet injuries.
"The FIR has been registered against unidentified gunmen, but it is sealed forthwith," a senior police officer told PTI.
He said the intelligence agencies have taken over this case from the police, and they are currently investigating the matter.
The channel's religious programme host Justice (retd.) Nazir Ahmed Ghazi and Hamza were in the vehicle when it was attacked. Hamza was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Punjab police on Friday said that "upon receiving information about the incident, the SSP Operations immediately reached the scene and a high alert was imposed in the area. SSP Operations Tauqeer Naeem also met the affected individuals. Thankfully, all present in the vehicle remained safe during the firing."
It further said senior police officers of the Township and Chung, along with a heavy police contingent, were present at the scene.
"Police collected evidence from the site and initiated an investigation. Efforts to arrest the suspects are underway using CCTV footage and geo-fencing techniques. Search and sweep operations are being conducted at various locations, with scrutiny of suspicious individuals ongoing," police said.
It added that those involved in the incident will be traced and arrested soon.
The police sources said that Hamza has been shifted to his residence in Jauhar Town, Lahore, where police and agency personnel met him.
The leadership of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), including Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed, also called on him.
TV host retired Justice Ghazi, who remained unhurt in the attack, remained a legal counsel for Hafiz Saeed, they said.
The PMML has strongly condemned the attack on Hamza and demanded that those involved in the incident be arrested immediately.
Hamza is regarded as LeT's second most important leader after its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 after getting convicted for several years in terror financing cases.
Hamza has been designated as a terrorist by the US. In the past, he served as the head of LeT's "special campaigns" department.
In 2018, Hamza formed a fundraising group for the LeT following a ban on the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation by the Pakistani government.
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