Absence of landfills turning Bangalore into Garbage City

Absence of landfills turning Bangalore into Garbage City
Another composting unit in June
Deccan Herald

Of the 2,600 tonnes of garbage generated per day, only 300-400 metric tonnes are sent for composting

Nearly all of the City is turning into a dumpyard. But Bangalore is yet to inaugurate an official landfill site where all the garbage could be dumped, without allowing it to be scattered all over.

Bangalore City alone generates more than 2,600 tonnes of garbage per day. However, of this only 300 to 400 metric tonnes is sent to the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) with the remaining heading to the landfills, which are currently all over the place. And the one reason that’s stumping all the civic agencies is land availability for this purpose.

Only recently the BMP finalised around 100 acres near Mavallipura to compost an estimated 600 metric tonnes per day and around 105 acres at Mandur to convert 1,000 metric tonnes of garbage in a day into power. “The Mavallipura unit is expected to be ready for inauguration by June. But the Mandur unit will take around 8 to 10 months,” Mr Manu Baligar, BMP Joint Commissioner (Health) said.

Besides this, the BMP has also identified around 25 acres in Kannahalli. “People were not ready to give land. The High Court stay on 28 acres in Mavallipura remains till date. But we are doing much better than so many other cities,” said Mr Baligar. In that case, what’s preventing the State government from increasing the capacity of KCDC?

It’s land availability again. At present, the KCDC carries out its operations in 21 acres of land at Kudlu near Madiwala. “We have limited area and expansion in the same area is difficult as a lot of development has taken place all around. In fact, we ourselves are managing with great difficulty. So if BMP can invest in another plant at an alternate site, our expertise since 1975 and the cost-effective technology that we have adopted can be put to better use,” said Mr Basavaiah, Managing Director, KCDC.

While the State government appears to have no such plans of extension, the BMP has had to manage the garbage clearance act with great difficulty. Frequent stalling of work by contractors and subsequent piling up of garbage has been enough proof of the problem.

“BMP started thinking about effective disposal of garbage only around four years ago and serious work is on only in the last three years.

If something is not done to solve the problem immediately, Bangalore’s garbage won’t go anywhere,” said Mr A H Basavaraj, BJP leader, BMP.

GARBAGE FACTS

Domestic waste: 2,500 metric tonnes a day

Commercial garbage (hotels, restaurants): 800 tonnes

KCDC’s share: 400 metric tonnes

Compost percentage: 30% of 400 tonnes

Mavallipura: 500 tonnes

Terra Firma: 100 tonnes

Unauthorised landfills: 1,500 tonnes