BENGALURU: With insufficient space and the lesser quantity of dry waste than expected, Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCC) in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP ) limits are not serving the purpose. In 2012, when Bengaluru witnessed a garbage crisis, the BBMP came up with Solid Waste Management Policy that stressed on segregation at source. Subsequently, in 2013, BBMP planned to set up a DWCC in each ward.
Erstwhile BBMP commissioner Siddaiah had given an undertaking to the High Court that each ward will have a DWCC to decentralise dry waste disposal system. However, due to lack of space and opposition from locals, DWCCs could not be set up in each ward. According to BBMP Joint Commissioner (Health), Sarfaraz Khan, as on date there are 164 DWCCs, of which 64 are managed by ITC company. “In some places, we have told the concerned officials that if they do not get space to construct DWCC, they could look for space on rental basis,’’ he says.
Khan says the remaining 100 are given to self-help groups, authorised rag-pickers and others to maintain it. “BBMP is doing overall monitoring. For rag-pickers and self-help groups, we are providing two to three auto tippers per ward to collect dry waste from door-to-door,’’ he says.But the reality is different. The Sunday Standard did a reality check at some of the DWCCs. Ramakrishna, who handles Ulsoor ward DWCC, said they were supposed to get auto tippers from BBMP to go for door-to-door dry waste collection, but haven’t.
At the DWCC near Gurudwara in Ulsoor, due to unavailability of space to set up a DWCC , a public toilet complex has been converted into a DWCC. With limited space, two wards (Bharathinagar and Ulsoor wards) are given this place to dump dry waste, which is insufficient. People there are actually demanding toilets. “A toilet would be of great use here unlike other places where there is no space to park,” says Dayanand Kumar, a driver.
Some DWCCs are not getting sufficient quantity of dry waste. Some of them depend on public volunteers and contractors who can supply dry waste. “The dry waste collectors are supposed to give the waste to us, but they sell it to private garbage vendors.
This is because vendors give money in advance to the collectors, who, in order to repay it, will give the waste to these private vendors,” says Shiva who handles Pulikeshinagar DWCC. According to him, they are supposed to get one tonne of dry waste a day, but they hardly get 200 kg, which is grossly insufficient for their livelihood.