Sandya Narayanan
Member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table
The motto for 2018 should be ‘zero waste to landfill’ and the 100 percent utilisation of processing facilities. Although the BBMP has the capacity to work with 2,300 tonnes of waste each day, roughly half the output, only 500 tonnes are actually processed, increasing the burden on landfills
In 2017, the BBMP introduced a slew of measures to improve garbage collection and management. It was a step in the right direction. This leads us, of course, to 2018, which, in my opinion, needs to be the year of implementation. The National Environment Policy 2006 identified municipal waste as a major cause of soil pollution. The policy recognised the need to strengthen the capacity of local bodies in terms of segregation, recycling and reuse.
Solid waste management costs the government Rs 40 lakh per day for each of the 198 wards. Much of this waste is unsegregated – a violation of the BBMP’s regulations, but collected anyway. Segregated waste is taken by pourakarmikas and mixed as it is dumped in garbage trucks, then taken to landfills. 4000 tonnes of garbage is generated everyday.
The BBMP, on its part, took three major steps with regard to solid waste management. The first was micro planning down to the ward level, in which the ward was divided into small blocks. The second measure was direct pay to pourakarmikas and the third involved introducing the biometric system.
Three major steps were taken by BBMP with regard to solid waste management. First being the ward level micro planning on solid waste management by dividing the ward into small blocks, second being the direct pay to the pourakarmikas and third is the introduction of biometric system. Authorities are looking in the right direction, it’s time to create a vision and work at implementing it.
The motto for 2018 should be ‘zero waste to landfill’ and the 100 percent utilisation of processing facilities. Although the BBMP has the capacity to work with 2,300 tonnes of waste each day, roughly half the output, only 500 tonnes are actually processed, increasing the burden on landfills.
If micro planning is properly implemented, we could cut down expenditure by upto one-third. The other, obvious perk is a clean, hygienic environment! And it can be done - In March this year, China issued a plan that would have 46 cities mandatorily segregate garbage by the end of 2020. Under the plan, all public institutions and companies need to separate garbage under three categories: Hazardous waste, kitchen waste and recyclable materials. By the end of November, nine months later, 12 cities had adopted these laws, while 24 had introduced work programmes related to the issue. Segregated wastte is scrutinised and any violation of the norms results in a punishment and a fine.
In the same way, we can achieve complete door-to-door collection, which does away with black spots on the streets. Provided, of course, that pourakarmikas work according to schedule. According to directions by the Karnataka High Court, all these steps will be monitored by ward committees ensuring transparency across every stage of the process. Works can be reviewed at monthly meetings and unnecessary expenditure can be cut. It’s also important that the BBMP pays garbage contractors on time, as most of them are unhappy with the delay in payments. This is essential, for it has taken a toll on garbage collection.
Wards can be given ratings based on how each one fares. At the end of the month, the ward that has performed best can be announced in a public domain. This will build healthy competition between wards and ensure new, innovative routes to waste management.
