Garbage proposal raises a stink

Garbage proposal raises a stink

Garbage dumps will be set up across the city for waste segregation

Vaishalli Chandra. Bangalore



It looks like the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finally cracked the code on the city's ever-rising garbage problem.
If all goes as planned, the city will soon have de-centralised waste segregation units at various locations. But residents may not be ready to turn up their nose. After all, the stench may not be easily ignored. But a dumping yard in your area may soon be a reality.
Two hundred transfer or disposal points have been identified by the Palike in the city where solid waste will be segregated and processed.
The civic body has prepared the first-ever master plan for solid waste management and is all set to get the green signal from the urban development department.
BBMP has allocated Rs249.58 crore towards solid waste management in its 2009-2010 budget. This will include expenditure for the de-centralised waste segregation units among many others (Box on SWM).
De-centralised waste segregation units to be established at various locations. This means that BBMP will identify transfer locations or points within an area where the collected garbage will be dumped.
It will then be segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable. The organic waste will be processed and used as compost that can be used in BBMP parks. Plastic will be segregated and processed to be used as a binder for asphalting roads. Non-biodegradable wastes will then be sent to landfill sites.
"At present, garbage is collected from the doorstep and is dumped at landfill sites which are situated some 50-60 km away from the city," says J Manjunath, former BBMP chief finance officer. But this is not a permanent solution for a city that produces 3,500 tonnes of waste everyday.
Citing the problems faced during waste disposal, Manjunath said, "Waste collection and disposal is outsourced and is hence service on contract basis. Many a times, contract lorries face protests from villagers who do not allow them to dump the garbage in the landfill. Sometimes, these lorries also dump garbage in storm water drains or in vacant sites."
He also pointed out that the undertaking could be very expensive.