BENGALURU: In an attempt to encourage and incentivize segregation of waste at source and composting at individual level, the BBMP has assured to buy the compost from the citizens.
On February 1 BBMP had on earlier made it mandatory for the citizens to segregate waste at source, but the response was lukewarm. Hence the Palike has now hit upon the novel idea of buying compost from the public, said Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner (Health).
During the drive BBMP came across certain apartments and households that had been successful in composting the waste and in order to reward them it has offered to buy the compost from them and sell it to the agriculture department, he added.
BBMP sources said the initiative will not only solve the garbage crisis to an extent, the citizens will also be more aware of their civic responsibility and also earn.
They can make use of the compost generated by them for their garden and the excess can be sold to the BBMP. The BBMP has plans to set up centres on the lines of dry waste collection centres to procure compost. The compost will be procured at Rs 2 per kilogram.
The city generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage every day and about 65 per cent is wet waste. If this is tackled by every concerned citizen, the problem of garbage can be easily solved, added sources. A senior official explained that making compost is a simple process. The residents have to segregate the kitchen or wet waste and put it into a container. The waste should be provided a convering of cocopit and be covered. This automatically gets decomposed and becomes compost.
The compost has a great value. Farmers from neighbouring talukas such as Hosakote, Nelamangala, Devanahalli and Magadi will come forward to buy it.
