BENGALURU: Not segregating garbage into dry and wet waste has started proving costly to citizens. The Solid Waste Management (SWM) team of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now imposing fines of Rs 100 on commercial establishments and gated communities for disposing mixed waste.
According to officials, the ward engineers will be moving to individual residential households in order to reduce the amount of mixed waste going into landfills.“As of now, 40 per cent of the city’s waste is going into landfills, which is high. But if segregation is done at the source level, it will be reduced to 10-15 per cent,” D Randeep, Special Commissioner, SWM, BBMP, said.
As of now, Bengaluru produces around 5,000 metric tonnes of waste every day. “We are also giving training to link workers and contractors every three to six months. But there is a need to bring awareness to those working below them, such as the waste pickers. We are looking to conduct training for them as well,” Randeep added.
There are about 175 semi-underground waste bins in the city. Officials complain that despite bringing in waste management systems into place, citizens don’t cooperate by following the guidelines. “Even if coloured bins are placed in the city, nobody segregates the waste. People place the garbage beside the bins for the waste-pickers to segregate,” Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner (SWM), said, adding, “We fine `5,000 for littering, and `100 for mixed waste disposal, which will double for repeated offences.”
BBMP has also postponed the last date of calling for tenders for collection and transportation of segregated waste, which was May 10, to after May 23. The tender is for primary door-to-door collection and transportation of segregated wet waste, sanitary waste and street waste from the sources, and secondary transportation of segregated wet waste and street waste. The contract is for one year, which is extendable by BBMP for another year.
Currently, BBMP relies on rag pickers, self-help groups and NGOs, with rag pickers’ associations currently collecting the dry waste in about 36 wards.
Rubbish menace
● Bengaluru produces around 5,000 metric tonnes of waste a day
● City has about 175 semi-underground waste bins
● Rag pickers collect dry waste in 36 wards