BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday inducted 25 new garbage compactors that have the capacity to lift about 10 tonnes of waste and ferry it to the processing units. The earlier models could ferry only 5 tonnes each.
“With the new compactors, the BBMP administration will be able to better solid waste management,” said Siddaramaiah. The palike had only 48 compactors till now, these new ones cost Rs 35 lakh each. This new batch is fitted with GPS trackers to ensure that the garbage is not diverted to illegal dumpyards and the corporation is not billed unfairly.
Along with increased capacity and high-tech additions, the new machines also will not leak leachate.
“Public had complained about the stench when trucks and compactors pass through their neighbourhood,” said R S Sathyanarayana, ruling party leader in the BBMP council. “Villagers near processing units had also protested and stopped trucks from entering. Now these issues will be addressed. A few more trucks will be added soon.” The new fleet is expected to have 200 machines, including these 25.
The city corporation hopes to save some money as well. “By purchasing the BBMP compactors, we will be able to save money on rentals, fuel and tipping fee to private players,” said Mayor N Manjunath Reddy. “We have decided to invite fresh tenders for collection of garbage from 151 wards.”
The BBMP had taken some flak for being the biggest spender on garbage disposal among all South Indian cities.
It spends Rs 450 crore annually to dispose off 4,000 tonnes of waste while the Chennai Corporation spends Rs 400 to dispose off 6,000 tonne of waste. A month ago, in the latest tender called by the BBMP, the bill had gone up by Rs 150 crore.
The opposition party leader Padmanabha Reddy had said that the “palike’s finances are being looted through garbage tenders”, which Sathyanarayana had strongly refuted.
There have been some positives. The corporation has managed to get segregated waste 35 per cent of the collection points. It is also in the process of recruiting 4,000 more pourakarmikas.