Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy said on Thursday that the BBMP needsat least three to six months to solve the garbage crisis in the city.
Speaking to reporters, he said the civic body is taking all steps to clear thegarbage piling up across the city.
“We are setting up biomethane plants in 16 out of the total 198 wards.
Tenders have been finalised and the work order has to be issued.
Apart from this, many companies have come to convert garbage into power andbiogas,” he added.
“We have finalised Hanjir Bio Tech Energy Private Limited to set up anautomated segregation unit for 750 tonnes of garbage and also a tender has beenfinalised to M K Aromatics Private Limited to generate biofuel from plasticnear Mandur.
Both the projects are awaiting the government’s approval,” he said.
Further, the Mayor stated that the BBMP has given nod to France-based Satheramto generate power from 1,000 tonnes of garbage near Magadi taluk and even thatproject is awaiting the government’s nod.
“At least 3,000 tonnes of garbage can be disposed of, provided the governmentapproves these projects at the earliest,” he said.
Stressing on segregation of waste at source, he said that if it is implemented,nearly 50 per cent of the burden on landfill could be reduced.
He added that they have convinced authorities at Terra Firma recycling plant toreceive the garbage at their landfill in Doddballapur taluk.
Pourakarmikas would not collect garbage from households of plastic is notsegregated from the waste.
“Earlier, the farmers used to take garbage from us which was free from plastic.
Now, because of plastic, they are refusing to collect the waste.
So, if we insist on people to segregate plastic, it will be easier for us todispose it of,” he stated.
He said the civic body is keen on controlling the plastic menace and will takeassistance from the police to seize plastic coming to the city from theneighbouring states.
No Change in Scene Meanwhile, the city continued to stink.
Heaps of garbage were seen at many places, including transit point nearDharmarayana temple, at K R Market, Majestic, near Aiyyappa temple inBanaswadi, Ganesha temple in Sevanagar, Shivajinagar, Vasanthnagar and otherareas.
Kumar, a garbage contractor, said that they are taking garbage in 18 trucks toMandur.
“We load the waste at morning to our trucks and it will be transported atnight.
If any additional garbage is accumulated after we load it, we will clear it onthe next day,” he added.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel said theyhave issued notice to Ramky Infrastructure Limited (RIL) and Gayatri SrinivasaResources for not maintaining landfills at Mavallipura and Mandur according tothe agreement.
“We have to seek their reply for further action.
We have to check terms and conditions before entrusting them withresponsibility to dispose of the waste accumulated at the landfills,” he noted.
Public participation for Segregation at source Goel said that they are almostready with a draft on making segregation of waste at source.
“We will soon load it on to the BBMP website and call for public opinion.
Once, we get their suggestion, we can finalise the rule.
It is easy to pass the rule, but it will take time to implement.
Therefore, we shall take public opinion and proceed,” he said.
Dumping Waste in Quarries Asked about sending garbage to quarries, Chairman ofthe BBMP’s Standing Committee on Health Venkatesh Babu said, “At Bommanahallizone, waste segregated is sent to Lakshmipura and Jnanappanabande quarries.
Only 15 trucks containing waste have been sent.”
Earlier the municipal waste was dumped in these abandoned quarries.
“There is no need for permission from the Pollution Control Board as ChiefMinister Jagadish Shettar told us to use these quarries at his review meeting,”he said.
When contacted, A S Sadashivaiah, Chairman of the Pollution Control Board, saiddumping waste to any landfill including, quarries, requires permission fromboard.
“Garbage disposal has to be done scientifically.
BBMP has not approached us in this regard.
I have to check personally and then take action,” he stated.
‘No Fear of Epidemic Diseases’ Meanwhile, Dr Devaki Umesh, BBMP’s Chief MedicalOfficer,said they have taken sufficient measures and there is no fear of theoutbreak of epidemic diseases.
“We dissolve five kilo of bleaching powder in 200 litres of water and spray iton the heaps of garbage.
This will kill micro-organisms and also not allow rodents to enter the heaps.
We are also spraying highly concentrated phenyl on the surrounding places,” shesaid.
Dr Devaki also said that they have told BWSSB to increase the Chlorine level inthe water being supplied to slum areas.