Palike looks to people to get rid of garbage mess

Entrusted with the task of finding a viable solution to the mounting garbage problem that has brought a bad name to Bangalore internationally, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s Special Commissioner (Municipal Solid Waste) Darpan Jain is scrambling for ways to resolve the issue before December 1, the deadline set for closure of the Mandur landfill.

Left with just three months, Jain hopes the Palike will succeed in meeting the deadline. He banks on the people’s co-operation and the top Palike officials’ efforts to get rid of the mess.

Deccan Herald spoke to him on various issues concerning the garbage problem. Excerpts:

People living around Bingipura and Lakshmipura are opposed to the landfill and waste-processing unit in their area. How are you dealing with the new problem?
It is true that people have raised some objection. We have requested them to provide us the landfill site, but their demand is to make the place stench-free and leachate-free. They also want garbage mounds capped and the area developed. We are trying to convince them.

The BBMP top brass insists on segregating waste at source, but why is it not happening anywhere? Even contractors and door-to-door waste collectors are not keen on collecting segregated waste.

The zonal-level Palike commissioners are responsible for it. We have been telling our officials and residents to segregate waste. Everyone has to contribute towards keeping the City clean. But I would like to point out that we have taken up a project in Bellandur ward on a pilot basis.

Garbage collection, segregation and transportation is happening strictly under our supervision. We are also closely monitoring where deficiencies are. We are preparing a template carrying information about the number of residential and commercial buildings, bulk generators such as apartments, hotels, party halls, malls and big corporate houses.

There will also be information about the manpower and machinery available in the ward. We will put all the information on the website. This will help us study the garbage problem and later we can replicate it in other wards.

You have 198 wards and your pilot project is limited to one ward. With only three months left for the closure of Mandur landfill, will you be able to replicate the model across Bangalore?
This action plan is a continuous process, which cannot be replicated overnight. These are operational plans and they cannot be replicated in all the 198 wards, but it will help us get information.
Presently, we are studying deficiencies in dealing with garbage. The pilot project has given us dynamic information. We will tell the court about our model.

Has the quantity of garbage sent to Mandur landfill reduced?
Yes, it has reduced substantially. Earlier, we were sending 170 to 180 truckloads of waste to Mandur, which has now come down to 120 to 130.

There is strong opposition to your garbage-processing unit at Lingadheeranahalli in Banashankari 6th Stage. Even the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Forest Department are against it. Will you drop the project there?

The place chosen for the garbage-processing unit is a civic amenity site, which was reserved for a waste-processing unit.

I don’t think people have any reason to oppose it.  Why should people allow a waste-processing unit at Lingadheeranahalli, given the BBMP's track record of messing up Mavallipura or Mandur landfills, where irregularities and unscientific garbage disposal mechanism triggered protests?

Let me tell you it is not a landfill but a fully covered garbage-processing unit. This time, the BBMP itself has constructed the plant in record four months’ time.

The State government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are serious about the project. We are trying our best. People should repose faith in us. After all, we cannot leave the City filthy only because of opposition to a garbage-processing unit.