No method in the madness of garbage management

No method in the madness of garbage management
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Garbage control and management in the city seems to be left to private contractors who do not employ scientific methods of disposal.

Since there are no sites identified to use garbage as landfill, many contractors have no choice, but to resort to illegal dumping on private land. This has left the greens quite understandably dismayed, as hazardous and bio-medical waste is increasing pollution levels in the city.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Bhomanand Maney told this paper that a couple of sites were being used as landfills.

"We had problems in identifying the sites for landfills. This is largely because of the real estate lobby which fears a fall in land prices. Also those who own farm land will object to the setting up of a dump yard right in their back yard. To convince such people it is necessary to make sure that our garbage disposal methods are scientific. This work is left to the city municipal corporations and their contractors," he said.

Maney added that at the moment garbage was not separated according to categories.

"Many industries are yet to employ garbage treatment facilities. At least primary treatment can be implemented. This will be less polluting when garbage is disposed. There have been a few acres which have been identified as landfill areas in places such as Yehlahanka, Mavallipura, Hoskote and Dabaspet. But, the problem is that garbage has not been segregated into plastics and organic waste," Maney added.

Members of the Pollution Control Board were terse when they said that the BCC was not appointing certified contractors.

KSPCB Environment Officer P N Sirsi said it was necessary for all garbage contractors to be certified by the KSPCB.

"Garbage contractors need minimum training and they should also prove that they are working according to the guidelines of the KSPCB. At the moment there is only one private contractor who is doing a sound job. The rest just take the garbage and dump it wherever they think it is convenient. We have received several complaints and we have suggested that the Government identify old quarries as dump yards," he said.

The amount of garbage that is disposed in the city is around 2500 tonnes per annum.

"Municipalities have to set the standard by locating land and they should make sure that contractors are provided with incinerators and recycling machines," Maney added.

He also said that there were granite factories, which were not acting in a responsible manner. "These factories dump granite powder around the periphery of Bangalore and this causes pollution too," he said.