BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday warned the state and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on their poor management of construction waste. It said that it may order a halt to granting permission for fresh constructions across the city due to huge amount of solid waste generated from illegal dumping and thereby exposing citizens to pollution.
“Restraining the BBMP from granting fresh licences for construction is the only way to wake up everybody from slumber,” said a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S R Krishna Kumar. The court which was hearing a batch of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions relating to solid waste management adjourned it to Tuesday for passing the orders.
The court observed that new constructions were coming up in the city and more and more solid waste was being generated. The BBMP was daily dumping about 2,800 tonnes of solid waste brazenly, in addition to 1,500 tonnes of construction waste. “They (BBMP) won’t be able to comply with law and this is the situation,” the court said. This was after the State failed to give categorical assurance about the facilities to be set up for disposal of garbage scientifically in a time-bound manner. Also, the data furnished by the BBMP showed the dumping of garbage illegally.
Even the consent given by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) expired on June 30, 2018 for operating a garbage plant at Lingadheeranahalli. The State admitted it in an affidavit filed by the Urban Development Department on Monday. This was suppressed in the affidavit filed by the BBMP earlier. In its report submitted to the court, the KSPCB highlighted the violations of laws by BBMP in the disposing of garbage.
Taking note of it, the court said more than 50 per cent of garbage was being disposed of against the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Therefore, the BBMP has to stop new constructions.
Taking note of it, the court said more than 50 per cent of garbage was being disposed of against the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Therefore, the BBMP has to stop new constructions.“Otherwise, it is exposing all citizens to pollution,” it observed orally.
Meanwhile, the BBMP counsel explained the steps taken by the civic body in disposing of garbage and submitted steps taken to prepare landfills at Mitaganalli and Hullahalli.In counter, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the same ‘false’ statement was being given by BBMP since the last six years and no steps were taken on landfills.