BBMP now wants public to dispose off waste!

BBMP now wants public to dispose off waste!
By Satish Shile, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Disposing municipal solid waste has been a long-pending problem for BBMP. Now the Palike has found a new way to shake its hands off from this problem.

The Palike’s plan is to hand over the responsibility of disposing waste to garbage generators and service providers. In other words the public and garbage contractors should make arrangements for disposal of wastes. However, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act does not approve this.

The Palike has invited tenders from qualified contractors to handle solid waste generated in commercial establishments in the East, West and South zones. The tender document says the service providers have to collect, transport and also dispose wastes.

It also adds “generators of wastes should be able to dispose off the waste generated effectively and regularly.”
These conditions keep the Palike free from the responsibility of providing either landfill sites or dumping yards to dispose wastes.

However, according to section 58 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976, collection, removal, treatment and disposal of waste generated in the city is one among the obligatory functions of the corporation.
Then, how can the Palike ask the public to dispose the waste, question office-bearers of Bangalore Mahanagara Sanitation, Lorry Owners and Contractors’ Association.

HC order
Association general secretary S N Balasubramani said, it is the duty of the Palike to provide landfill sites to dispose municipal solid wastes. For the last two years, contractors have been demanding that the Palike should provide enough dumping yards. But the demand has not been met.

Balasubramani and 28 others had moved the Karnataka High Court in 2003, seeking the court to direct the Palike for necessary action to provide dumping yards for garbage contractors.

Justice Ram Manohar Reddy in his judgement dated September 15, 2005 directed the Palike to provide dumping yards within 30 days.

However, the Palike has failed to act as per the High Court’s order even after more than two years of judgement being pronounced.

TENDERS OPEN TODAY
The Palike has called for tenders for collecting and disposal of municipal waste generated by commercial establishments in three zones of the erstwhile BMP.

The commercial establishments which are covered under this project include kalyan mantaps, party halls, government offices, private offices, apartment complexes with more than 20 houses, education institutions, places of worship, exhibitions, fairs, clubs and other such amusement sites, shops and establishments, mutton, chicken and related shops.

Tender proposals will be opened on Friday.