The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will hold a crash course on garbage disposal for members of apartment owners’ association on Saturday.
BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel told reporters that members of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) are ready to manage waste in their apartments.
“We have given the necessary material to the members of CREDAI, including the High Court order copy on segregation of garbage. Along with this, public notice on garbage segregation issued by the BBMP will be given to them.”
On Saturday evening, the BBMP will conduct a crash course at IPP Centre in Malleswaram.
“We are expecting 100 to 120 members, including the members of CREDAI to attend the programme,” Goel said. Sushil Mantri of Mantri Developers extend support on behalf of the association, he said
What KMC Act says
The legal validity of double whammy of BBMP levying garbage cess and collecting fee from residents of apartments for collection of garbage: According to KMC Act, 1976, collection, removal, treatment and disposal of sewage, and garbage and preparation of compost manure from such a waste is an obligatory function of the corporation. And accordingly, fee to be levied in the discharge of its functions,” advocate Sivakumar S said.
He added it is not necessary that the Palike specifically use the funds for a deemed purpose and paying a cess (garbage cess) does not entitle them for service.
PALIKE’S PLANS TO KEEP THE CITY CLEAN SEGREGATION NOT NEGOTIABLE: Goel said everyone has to segregate waste. Pourakarmikas will not accept non-segregated waste. Segregation is not negotiable. “We expect residents of apartments to cooperate with us,” he said.
WASTE MANAGEMENT: The city generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage everyday. According to Goel, of the total waste, 40 per cent is generated from bulk generators. This comes upto 1,500 tonnes. “Of the remaining 60 per cent waste, 1,500 tonnes are wet waste and 800 tonnes are dry waste. The remaining waste will be sent to quaries,” he said.
“We are sending 1,000 tonnes of wet waste to a private landfill site near Chintamani. A private company has agreed to process the waste at their cost,” he said. However, garbage will not be sent to Mandur landfill site from October 1.
JATHA: The BBMP is creating awareness among citizens on segregating waste. The Palike has organised ‘Jatha’ from BBMP head office to Lalbagh on Sunday. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok, MLAs, writers, film actors and other celebrities are expected to take part.
Chandra Mohan Joshi of Nisu Ads and Events, the firm which is preparing placards for Jatha said, “We are preparing 800 placards with 22 different messages on segregation of waste. We have used recycled material for placards, which can be used again after recycling,” he said. This is in Kannada as well as English.
DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGN: Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy said they will conduct a door-to-door campaign in every ward, which will be led by the respective ward councillors. He said he had written to BJP city unit president Subbanna urging him to direct the party workers to take up a door-to-door campaign on segregation of waste, plastic ban and sharing of Cauvery water.
RELAXATION ONLY FOR APARTMENTS: Goel said though they have relaxed apartments from managing garbage on their own for the next two months, this will not be applicable to other bulk generators including hotels, wedding halls, malls and others who generate 100 kilo waste a day.
WARD MEETINGS: Goel has directed all the eight zonal commissioners to conduct ward-level meetings with the various residents’ welfare associations.
BINS AT MARKET: Three bins will be placed at BBMP markets. To begin with, they will start the drive at K R Market on Saturday. “Of the three bins, one will be for leftover vegetables and the other two will be for wet and dry waste.
“I have instructed Deputy Commissioner (Market) to train and educate the vendors about the bin system. Once the system proves to be successful, we will extend the drive to other markets as well,” Goel said.
PUBLICITY: The BBMP will also take up many awareness programmes including announcements on FM radio channels, hoardings, advertisements in newspapers among others.