Vested Interest Playing Garbage Politics: BBMP Chief

With Mandur villagers protesting against dumping of garbage in landfills near the village and threatening to block garbage trucks, the BBMP may be staring at another crisis. Palike commissioner Lakshminarayana (in pic) speaks about the issue.
Vested Interest Playing Garbage Politics: BBMP Chief

With Mandur villagers protesting against dumping of garbage in landfills near the village and threatening to block garbage trucks, the BBMP may be staring at another crisis. Palike commissioner Lakshminarayana (in pic) speaks about the issue.

Mandur villagers once again stopped BBMP garbage trucks. What do you have to say?

There is a vested interest playing garbage politics in Mandur village. Those who fight or oppose dumping of garbage at the Mandur landfills have to show us alternative sites. They have to give us a solution for this garbage crisis.

Will the landfill sites be shut?

Every major city, including Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi, has one or two landfills on the city outskirts. Without being fully equipped and having sufficient processing units to dispose of accumulated garbage waste, we cannot think of closing the Mandur sites. If we close it, where will we dispose 4,000 tonnes of garbage that is generated every day? Will people stop producing waste?

Will you seek some more time from the villagers?

I will not seek time from the villagers. This problem cannot be solved in a day or two. It will be solved gradually.

At present, what is the status of garbage disposal?

Over the past two years, BBMP has been able to process more than 1,000 tonnes of garbage every day. We are already sending 600 tonnes of wet waste to Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) near Bommanahalli and 300 tonnes to Terra Firma unit on Doddballapur Road. Another processing unit at Mandur with a capacity of 300 tonnes is functional. But some local people are interrupting.

What about dry waste?

BBMP has already set up Dry Waste Collection (DWC) units in 150 wards. DWC units will be set up in the remaining 48 wards soon. About 300 tonnes of dry waste is collected from these 150 DWC. This apart, there are 1,500 ragpickers engaged in collecting 100 tonnes of dry waste every day. This has lessened the burden on the landfill sites.

What about Mavallipura landfill site?

Re-opening Mavallipura landfill site is out of question. As we have closed it, the pressure on Mandur landfill has increased.

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