B’lore among most polluted cities

B’lore among most polluted cities
Tuesday February 5 2008 06:34 IST

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BANGALORE: Bangalore is one of the most polluted cities in India. Thanks to increasing levels of vehicular pollution, unscientific ways of solid waste management and a large number of industries, it can no longer be called a Garden City.

On an average, Bangalore generates 2,500 tons of solid waste a day, which is unscientifically disposed of leading to increasing pollution levels and health hazards, said experts in the Pollution Control Board.

“Pollution level is calculated based on City’s population, number of industries, mode of disposal of solid waste by municipality. Based on these parameters, Bangalore is one of the most polluted cities of India,” the experts said.

While New Delhi generates approximately 4,000 tons of solid waste, Mumbai generates around 4,500 tons. Karnataka annually generates 67,000 metric tons of hazardous waste (180 tons a day), of which 47,000 tons are recycled.

“Industries, inappropriate disposal system by the BBMP and hospitals without proper solid waste management, are to be blamed.

Their disposal pattern should be seen to be believed,” Minister of State for Planning M V Rajashekharan on Monday said. He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national seminar on Hazardous Material Management (HMM) and formation of the National Institute of Environment and Hazardous Materials Management (NIEHMM), organised by Bangalore Institute of Technology here.

“A large number of solid and hazardous waste is dumped into water bodies and landfill sites contaminating ground water, water bodies and plants,” he said. The country everyday generates 1.2 million tons of solid waste, 4.4 million tons of hazardous waste and 4.45 million tons of plastic waste, 60 per cent of which is recycled.

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairman Dr H C Sharatchandra said hazardous waste disposal has now become a criminal offence as cases have been booked against transporters for dumping it here from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

There have been a couple of instances where hazardous waste was found to be dumped in landfill sites in the name of solid waste or manure. In one instance, copper substances were being dumped into the Vrishabhavati Valley.