This thesis examines the paradox of waste governance in Bengaluru, India, where the systemic failure of the formal, state-led system for managing food waste has led to the emergence of a dynamic and effective ecosystem of citizen-led conservation models. The study critically analyses the structural and relational dynamics that underpin this phenomenon, arguing that the shortcomings of the formal governance network create both the functional necessity and the political space for alternative, trust-based networks to thrive.

The research is guided by a central aim: to analyse the governance failures within Bengaluru's formal food waste management system and to explain how these specific failures have necessitated and enabled the rise of influential, citizen-led conservation models. To achieve this, the study pursues three key objectives: first, to investigate the formal governance framework and identify its implementation gaps; second, to map and analyze the structure of stakeholder relationships using qualitative social network analysis (QSNA); and third, to explain how the identified governance gaps and relational structures create the opportunity for alternative conservation models.