BAF launches new initiative for better Bengaluru

Bangalore Apartments Federation has launched ‘Bengaluru Apartments Making Bengaluru Operationally Outstanding and Sustainable’ (BAMBOOS), a new initiative to improve the city.

The programme was launched by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun and BESCOM MD C Shikha at Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Vasanth Nagar on Saturday.

It aims to mobilise residents living in apartment complexes across the city to adhere to sustainable practices such as reducing dependency on electricity, having compost units in premises so that garbage is converted into manure and so on, for a better Bengaluru.

One of the prime initiatives under BAMBOOS is to have apartment complexes install rooftop solar power plants to bring down the electricity bills. The initiative aims to set up close to 1,000 solar plants on apartment rooftops across the city.

Srikant Narasimhan, general secretary, BAF said that they have been working on various models before finalising the plan. “If an association is willing to put its own money, they can save up to 20% of the existing bills. At Rs 6.5 per unit, the charges work out to be cheaper than the Rs 8 per unit we pay to BESCOM,” he said.

Gangambike Mallikarjun said, “It is heartening to see that the residents of apartment complexes are coming forward with such initiatives. There was a time when I initially began my career as a Councillor, where none of the residents living in apartments would come out for civic issues and neither for voting purposes. The co-operation of apartment complexes is vital for BBMP to solve issues such as solid waste management, water and so on.”

Lakshman, chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) said that the apartment complexes should have an exclusive technical expert to guide them in the management of sewage treatment plants.

Urban expert V Ravichander, who was also present at the programme, opined that the BBMP can re-visit its plan on having a vendor empanelment for the collection and disposal of garbage from residents. “If not this, the civic body should think of coming with an intensifying plan that will boost citizen’s better practices in handling solid waste,” said Ravichander.

The programme also included workshops on solid waste management, water and energy management.