Another thing that continues to spread faster than IT giants in a metropolis like Bengaluru is pollution. When one considers the environmental damage, the story of Karnataka’s capital is a sad one, from frothy lakes to overflowing trash cans. But help is just around the corner and from an unexpected source. A group of conscientious bikers.
The idea of Bikers Troop Bengaluru?
Bikers Troop Bengaluru (BTB) was founded in October 2020 by Harshith BK for persons who have a passion for motorcycles. BTB began as a small group of 13 people and has grown to a 250-strong community with a larger objective.
The team chooses a destination for each adventurous trip where they will stop and perform a cleanliness drive. Everything is gathered in a rubbish bag carried by the bikers, from plastic bottles to wrappers. “The idea came to me on a riding adventure with a friend on the fringes of the city,” Harshith explains
We went out for a ride when we came upon a location strewn with empty bottles. We rounded up very few but realized that this effort would require a larger crew, especially because the problem isn’t limited to one area of the city. Bikers Troop Bengaluru was founded with this goal in mind,” he explains. This is why, no matter where they go, the traveling bikers bring their water bottles.
The journey
The first expedition for BTB went to Skandgiri, a renowned hiking area 70 kilometers from Bengaluru. The cleanliness drive brought together a dozen riders, sparking further interest in the biking community. The pleas to engage in the cleanliness initiatives haven’t ceased since a Facebook page was formed. Every week since then, the team has chosen a tourist destination for their drives.
Bikers Troop Bengaluru has been working to teach communities about the importance of living a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, with a particular focus on the youth. 15 students from Tumkur’s Siddaganga Institute of Technology joined the team on a recent cleanliness mission to Shivagange Hills. They were able to remove more than 150 kilograms of plastic bottles. BTB retrieved thousands of plastic bottles from the picturesque tourist site of Avalabetta during another drive.
The efforts are bearing fruit; Harshith believes that seeing natural surroundings free of pollution has encouraged more individuals to join his cause. “Even though our name is Bikers Troop, we don’t want to be limited.” “Anyone who wants to help us is more than welcome,” he says.
