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KSPCB wants builders to dump debris at designated sites

Last Updated 09 July 2014, 20:44 IST

Construction debris is the biggest cause of dust pollution in Bangalore. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has come out with a short-term solution: construction industries should manage their waste and dump it at a designated site, which will be converted into artificial sand and sold back to them.

Construction waste and the dust from construction sites are a bigger menace than garbage, the KSPCB says but asserts that its hands are tied on the matter, as like in most cases, it does not give permission for construction and there is no law or immediate alternative in hand to check the problem.

According to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), there are 100-250 construction sites in every ward on an average. The KSPCB comes into the picture only when the number of flats or units is above 100 and over 500 people reside in them. It is then mandatory for construction companies to have a sewage treatment plant, for which the KSPCB’s permission is mandatory.

Besides, if the construction site is spread over 10 sq km or in case of commercial units where the footfall is over 5,000 per day, the KSPCB’s permission is required.

Dust pollution

Looking at most cases, the KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya said individual sites measuring 30x40, 40x60, 40x80 sq ft posed the biggest problem. Construction and demolishing at these sites are a major menace as the debris is dumped around.

“We are unable to keep a check on all construction sites, which is adding to the dust pollution menace. In Bangalore, construction sites are the biggest cause of dust pollution.

Hence, we have figured out a way, by asking people to segregate waste. We aim to make it gradually mandatory at all construction sites to recycle their waste and use as much as they can.

The remaining should not be dumped around but sent to the Hesaraghatta construction landfill site, where we will convert it into artificial sand and sell it back to construction sites.

This way, the dependence on natural sand and green areas will be reduced,” he told Deccan Herald.
Acharya explained that this was one of the ways to reduce dust pollution.

“We do not have statistics on the construction waste accounted, but our assessment is that it is ten times the garbage. The KSPCB will also request the government to make a law on it,” he said.

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(Published 09 July 2014, 20:44 IST)

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