Bengaluru: After proposing to levy a penalty on those who are not segregating garbage and even training pourakarmikas to refuse mixed garbage, the BBMP health inspectors will now conduct a survey to quantify the garbage generated by bulk generators in the city. The BBMP, which is working to ensure that garbage segregation at source is done to the fullest, is all set to tackle the garbage generated by apartment complexes and others.
Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Subodh Yadav said the BBMP was aware that the city generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage per day, but the agency needed a clear-cut idea of the quantity of garbage generated by bulk generators. “Three things are focused on with this process - to find out the exact quantity of garbage generated by bulk generators, to find out the arrangements apartments have made (themselves and with empanelled agencies) and to check if the empanelled agencies registered with BBMP are following the norms,” he said.
While the process will help the BBMP ascertain the correct quantum of garbage generated by bulk generators alone, it will also help the civic agency in streamlining the garbage sent to processing plants, notes Mr Yadav.
“Currently about 35-40 per cent of the total garbage generated in the city is being segregated and we are targeting 50 per cent garbage segregation by December 31. By conducting a survey, it will help us devise plans to tackle the garbage generated by bulk generators. Now, we are able to handle door-to-door garbage generated in individual homes, however, the bulk generators are going off the radar,” he stressed.
Mr Yadav highlighted that by March 31, the BBMP was aiming to stop sending mixed garbage to all the processing plants including Terra Firma and MSGP. As of now, only these two plants are receiving city’s mixed garbage.
Directive to plants
In a circular to all the BBMP offices in the city, the Special Commissioner has stressed that garbage processing plants must compulsorily operate from 8 am to 7 pm. He has further instructed the Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers to be present at their ward level mustering centres between 6.30 am and 11 am to monitor garbage management.
The commissioner has also directed the officials to visit door-to-door garbage collection in order to supervise segregation at source. “The engineers must visit the bio-methanisation plants to register the quantum of garbage processed at the plants and must adopt all the measures to increase the processing capacity of the plants,” the circular states.
High Court’s magic formula: Two bins, one bag
Two Bins and One Bag-that’s the magic formula the garbage ridden city needs to adopt for a cleaner look, ruled the Karnataka high court on Thursday. While the two bins should be used for wet and dry waste, the bag should be utilised for collecting plastic cups, milk covers and glass among others. Hearing a batch of petitions, the High Court also ruled that plastic in any form must not be used to dispose garbage.
Further, the division bench comprising Justice N Kumar and Justice B.V. Nagarathna directed that garbage must be segregated at source. “Garbage generators in both residential and commercial establishments must adopt the Two Bins, One Bag method to dispose of garbage. Violators should be punished under Sec 13 and Sec 431(A) of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act,” the bench said.
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