BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is considering bringing back the old system of placing big bins on the side of roads. However, this time, they will be portable metal ones.
N R Ramesh, ruling party leader representing Yediyur ward in Padmanabha Nagar Assembly constituency, said there are 18 portable containers in his ward and they have worked wonders. Each container has a capacity of 2.5 to 4 tonnes. “We have been using them for sometime and the roads in our ward have become at least 90 per cent litter free. Black spots have also drastically reduced,” he said.
Ramesh said the plan was to have 20 to 30 secondary collection centres (where garbage will be picked up by pourakarmikas and transferred to auto tippers) in each ward.
“If we set up these portable containers, the littering rate will reduce. These containers will be open at the top and have a small window at the bottom. The window will be kept locked, and opened only when it is removed to dump waste into an auto tipper. These containers cost around `75,000 and we will get sponsors. I have discussed it with BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana and he has agreed,” he said.
However, Lakshminarayana told Express that they are not planning to set up these containers on every street. He said the plan was to place big containers in congested areas or slums. With this, the BBMP hopes to be able to keep these places clean.
Lakshminarayana said there is also a proposal to have auto tippers parked in these areas so the public can place their waste directly into the vehicles. “Every day, once these garbage autos transfer waste from secondary points to garbage lorries or compactors, their job is over. These autos are then free till the next morning. Till then, if we park these vehicles in a congested area, they will be of some use. Also, we won’t have to spend money on buying new containers,” he added.
A BBMP health officer said that if such containers are placed on roadsides, the public can dump the waste in these bins even if garbage contractors protest or there is a shortage of staff. These bins should have the capacity to accommodate three to four days waste, he said. “If pourakarmikas do not turn up for a day or two, we can still manage,” he said. However, he said the BBMP will continue with door-to-door collection every day.
Bad Idea, Say Experts
Experts feel such a move will discourage people from segregating waste at source. BBMP Solid Waste Management Expert Committee member N S Ramalanth told Express that if bins are provided on roadsides, the idea of segregation will be a failure. “People will start dumping mixed waste in these bins. There are also chances of the metal portable bins being stolen,” he said. He said these bins would be feasible in commercial areas. “However, the vendors’ association has to make sure that it is cleared frequently,” Ramalanth said.