JOIN USAfter HC rap, govt okays 77 contracts
A day after the High Court warned of contempt proceedings, the State government on Wednesday approved 77 new garbage contracts, thus paving the way for clearing the huge trash pile-ups in the City.
The new contractors are expected to begin their operations in the next 15 days.
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Commissioner Rajneesh Goel told reporters that the work orders for the contractors will be issued by Wednesday evening. The contractors will have to enter into an agreement with the BBMP, parade the men, machine and materials they would deploy for the garbage clearance task before the Palike officials, and also furnish a bank guarantee.
“The contractors can start their work as soon as they comply with the formalities,” Goel said. He added that the Palike had been receiving encouraging response for the remaining 12 packages.
A committee comprising former chairperson of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Sharath Chandra, Bangalore Action Task Force member Kalpana Kar and Almitra Patel, a member of a non-governmental organisation, will be set up to ensure scientific disposal of garbage.
The commissioner said the Palike intends to make use of Geographic Information System to monitor the garbage clearance task with engineers taking pictures from their smart phones and uploading them on the Palike’s website.
Goel said in the last three months, ever since the three landfill sites at Mandur, Mavallipura and Terra Firma on Doddaballapur Road were closed, the BBMP had taken several measures to free the City of garbage.
“We have taken measures to reopen existing sites for scientific garbage disposal. Along with this, we will biomine landfills using high-pressure deodourisation system,” he said.
As many as 19 companies have come forward to take up biomining and proposals have been submitted to the State government in this regard.
Goel disclosed that the idea of bio-mining came from Warangal and orders had been placed for four biomining machines of five-tonne capacity from Malegaon in Maharashtra.
Hunt for land
Goel said 94 acres of land in Sarjapur hobli, 35 km from the City, have been identified for dumping garbage and clearance has been sought from the KSPCB.
The Palike has 207 acres of land at Thammanayakanahalli in Anekal taluk, 23 acres and 27 acres, in Seegehalli and Kannahalli villages respectively, to be used for municipal solid waste management.
“We may get 300 acres, at Bagepalli. The proposal has been approved by the BBMP Council. We have proposals for 600 acres in Koratagere in Tumkur district, and 200 acres at Kanakapura,” he said.
Segregation units will also be set up in 26 divisions of Bangalore.