Mavallipura landfill overused: KSPCB chief
Karnataka State Pollution Board chairperson A S Sadashivaiah, who is all set to retire on September 3, has said that BBMP’s decision to close down the Mavallipura landfill, is for the better, as it had been “exploited beyond reason”.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Wednesday, Sadashivaiah said if the Board had not acted, the BBMP would not have taken cognisance of the garbage issue.
The chairperson said the Palike had flouted all norms and had failed to adopt scientific waste management at the landfill.
“BBMP has dumped garbage 10 times more than the holding capacity. Despite the Board serving notices to it, the Palike has failed to submit the action plan, action taken report and the compliance report.” It’s been seven weeks since the BBMP responded to the notices served by KSPCB, he said.
So where should BBMP dump waste? “There are two other landfills – Mandur and Terra Firma. Also, BBMP should decentralise waste segregation and composting at the ward level. Thankfully, the political class has now woken up to the problem. I am hopeful that they will allow for a legislation to be passed in this regard,” he added.
When asked whether he was pressured by Home Minister R Ashoka to reopen the Mavallipura landfill, he said: “It is true that Ashoka called me. But he didn’t arm twist me. Also there are procedures to be followed. Permissions cannot be granted and withdrawn just like that,” he said.
He said that there was no real estate element to the garbage controversy. “However there was one builder – G Sudhakar, who has been incessantly asking for the Board’s permission for formation of a layout abutting the Mandur landfill. But I haven’t given him the permission because I don’t want innocent people being victimised.”
Bacterial infection
Sadashivaiah said that he himself had borne the brunt of unscientific waste management. “About ten days ago, when I visited Mandur landfill for an inspection, I was bitten by a fly, which resulted in a severe infection. I was down with a bad fever. About 29 notices have been served to BBMP to take remedial measures at Mandur – but it has paid no heed.”
He said that the Board would shortly constitute a ‘Waste Management Advisory Committee” to address the garbage disposal/segregation issue.
The committee would comprise of members from BBMP, directorate of Municipal Administration, residential associations, waste processing units and NGOs, he said. He also said that a team of experts would be sent to all the landfills to ascertain the carrying capacity.
