The city’s garbage menace has turned ugly with heavy showers lashing the city, as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has not been able to dispose of the waste.
The city generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage everyday and heaps of it remain uncleared across the city. On Thursday, pourakarmikas were on a strike and hence, garbage was not picked up. Also, villagers in Mandur protested against dumping of waste at Mandur landfill site. This too added to the woes.
On Friday, BBMP could not make any alternative arrangements to clear garbage. BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel said the Mandur landfill site cannot be opened. “We have visited two sites which are suitable for processing of waste. We will visit two more sites on Saturday. Waste has not been cleared in the city. We are taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of epidemic waste,” Goel said.
Meanwhile, Goel blamed the bulk waste generators for not following the civic body’s directions on segregation of waste.
“Since they are not falling in line, we have reached only 34 per cent of segregation so far.”
Goel said Mandur landfill site is not a long-time solution. “We need to take up segregation more aggressively. We are planning to decentralise waste processing at three places, including Jigani and Yelahanka,” he said.
“This provision is only a fall-back. We will keep this facility ready and will bring it up on a PPP model in consultation with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The BBMP will provide a concrete platform in the identified areas,” he added.
Goel, however, said there is a demand for wet waste.
“High profile people are taking wet waste. I have instructed the officials to prepare a list and based on that, wet waste will be sent. One farmer will receive one truck. Interestingly, dry waste like plastic and other material are picked by pourakarmikas and ragpickers. Thus, dry waste centres are getting less garbage,” Goel said.
When asked about the new garbage tender, Goel said he has not yet received any proposal from zonal commissioners.
The zonal commissioners are the chairpersons of the tender evaluation committee.
“Once I get a proposal from them, the same will be placed before the health committee and then it will be discussed in the council. The chairperson says it will be approved within four hours,” he said.