BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to deal with aspects of disposal of e-waste, plastic, biomedical and other waste in addition to solid waste generated in the city.
“The inconsistency in implementing SWM Rules and Construction and Demolition of Waste Management Rules will only lead to disaster and violation of fundamental rights. Therefore, we make it clear that the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is free to take action against BBMP and others concerned for violation of law with regard to the above aspects,” the court said.
Directing the BBMP to file an affidavit explaining steps taken for implementation of Construction and Demolition (C&D) of Waste Management Rules in a month, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S R Krishna Kumar directed the civic agency to explain the manner in which the C&D waste in the city is being disposed as there was no facility for this.
The BBMP has to report further steps taken for compliance of SWM Rules 2016 on or before December 16, 2019. Accordingly, depending upon the progress of compliance in relation to the directions, the court will consider to pass the drastic orders to put embargo on BBMP from granting new licences for construction, the court said.
The court said now the BBMP is looking for another abandoned quarry to dump unprocessed solid waste. The KSPCB should submit a further status report on or before December 16, and the state should ensure that the State Advisory Body holds regular meetings to review whether the waste management rules are implemented or not.
Two third of waste dumped without processing
“Out of 5,700 tonnes of solid waste generated in the city, more than 4,000 tonnes is being illegally disposed of by BBMP, though 19 years have gone by after the Solid Waste Management Rules 2000 were enacted. Bengaluru, known as a green city, two-thirds of solid waste is illegally dumped by the BBMP. The records show that solid waste processing centres are grossly insufficient. Huge quantity of waste is dumped without processing. It is nothing but complete failure of BBMP in implementing Solid Waste Management Rules,” the High Court said.