BANGALURU : Strict enforcement of waste segregation by the authorities concerned and a change in the attitude among citizens are crucial to ensure effective implementation of the High Court directions on waste management, according to experts.
To ensure segregation of waste at source, the High Court on Thursday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to make it mandatory to follow the ‘two-bins-one-bag’ system for every waste generator.
“A majority of people are willing to segregate waste at source, but the real problem is that it get mixed during transportation. This has to be addressed on priority before people lose faith in the BBMP,” D S Rajshekar, president of the Federation of North-East Residents Welfare Associations’ told Express.
Rajshekar, who is part of the Waste Management Committee in Kalyan Nagar area, says once the segregated waste is collected by pourakarmikas it is transported to a designated spot in dumper autos. From there, it is transported to landfills in trucks. “Wet and dry waste gets mixed mostly while it is transported,” he said.
Environmentalist Yellappa Reddy said strict enforcement by the authorities concerned is the only way to address the problem. “Identify individuals, commercial establishments and hotels that do not segregate waste and take stern action against them. Also, take action against contractors as waste is mixed while transportation,” he suggested.
According to him, all stakeholders like residents, elected representatives, officials and pourakarmikas have to work together to ensure that the system works well and the city is free of garbage.
“Garbage is a `300-400 crore business and vested interests do not want the system to work well as it would push them out their business,” he said. “It is a big mafia,” he adds.
Reddy said BBMP officials can impose fines on those not segregating waste and also those dumping it on streets. “Garbage is dumped at many places even in upscale HSR Layout where many prominent people, including the Chief Secretary and other senior government officers reside,” said Reddy, who is also a resident of HSR Layout.
“BBMP lacks proper leadership and hence the High Court has to intervene in its functioning. The work of the state government is being done by the court, which shows the health of governance in our state,” said Sandya Narayanan, a member of Solid Waste Management Round Table, Bengaluru. The group is dedicated to promoting garbage segregation at source, along with popularising the concept of three Rs — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
After the High Court directives, things have started shaping up. The BBMP should have earlier addressed the issue of carrying waste in closed vehicles The dumpers were a isaster, she felt.
Carrying garbage in a open vehicle is four times more costly than transporting it in a compactor. The compactor is also not adequate for transporting wet organic waste, and the BBMP should use closed vehicles for it. The high court order will definitely help. It is not rocket science, they can implement it,
Sandhya narayanan, resident of Poorna Pragna Nagar
collect wet waste from the kitchen and leftover fruits and vegetables in a steel vessel and put it in my garden. We have kept a jute bag for collecting dry waste like plastics, cardboard, etc before it is disposed of. I make sure that there are no eatables left in the dry waste. Everyone can do it, all it takes it just a few minutes. Sudharshana, resident, Poorna Pragna Nagar.
use wet waste like rice, veggies, etc, in our garden. I will give plastic and dry waste to the BBMP vehicle daily.
Padma, housewife Thanisandra