BBMP plans clean record on garbage

BBMP plans clean record on garbage
To Set Up Two Scientific Garbage Processing Units
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: Enough stink has been raised over BBMP’s garbage disposal policy. Not without reason. For instance, the agency has plans to set up two new scientific garbage processing units. This, when existing landfills and processing units are not being used to the maximum.
The BBMP spends at least Rs 10 crore a month on garbage disposal, outsourcing nearly two-thirds of the services in collecting and transporting the garbage. While complaints of uncleared garbage and reports on the BBMP’s clash with contractors continue to do the rounds, the civic agency is now looking at damage control: it has plans for more effective tracking of contractors’ disposal, which will augment disposal at processing units. It is also looking to earn some revenue — Rs 27 for every tonne — from the garbage processed at the two units proposed at Doddabiddrekallu and Mandur, both in Hoskote.
The plants proposed on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model will have a capacity of 1,000 tonnes each and are expected to be in place in six months or a year. They are in addition to already functional units at Doddaballapur, Mavallipura and Mandur. The BBMP has been paying Rs 40-60 for every kg of garbage processed at these plants. In addition, it also takes care of transporting and tracking the collected garbage to these units.
Bangalore started scientific disposal of garbage more than a year ago. The city produces 3,500 tonnes every day. With three available processing units and authorized landfills in Chinnasandra, Gnanappanahalli, Banashankari 5th Phase and Rajarajeshwarinagar, the palike aims to tackle close to 3,000 tonnes a day.
The progress of implementation, so far, leaves a lot to be desired. The BBMP, though, plans to tap possibilities like carbon credits to rope in private partners. Apart from easy access to raw material, which is converted into valuable by-products like manure and vermicompost, private parties also earn valuable carbon credit points by authorized international agencies for every mega tonne garbage processed scientifically, with minimal emission.
Even the 5-10% inert material in garbage, like plastic, is being recycled at these plants. “With the increasing value for carbon credits, many private parties are now ready to even pay for every tonne of collected garbage delivered at their processing units set up at these designated sites,’’ BBMP commissioner S Subramanya told TOI.
Erratic collection
Even a global positioning system to track movement of trucks and one of the most advanced, high-capacity scientific garbage processing units like the one in Doddaballapur — that can handle up to 1,000 tonnes a day — is rendered ineffective at times, either with overload or insufficient load.
While the BBMP swears by the potential of the processing units and the GPS, it’s erratic collection and disposal that has contributed to the issue. As per the agreement with contractors, the city has 286 trucks carrying garbage to the processing units and the designated landfills.
So far, 194 trucks have been fitted with the GPS tracking unit but only 70-72 of them are constantly tracked by the system. Why? Many contractors reason that people residing near the landfills and the units raise an objection to the stench emanating from the trucks and obstruct the vehicles, preventing them from progressing further.
“Even as we announce more landfills and scientific units, few areas witness heaps of garbage at various points. The number of such cases is slowly decreasing,’’ Subramanya said.