The lockdown period is proving to be a blessing for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as the city’s solid waste output fell by more than 1,000 metric tonnes.
On an average day, the city generates 3,500 metric tonnes of garbage, 85% of which comes from the households. The bulk generators that account for the remainder do not depend on the corporation for disposal.
Data from D Randeep, special commissioner for solid waste management, BBMP, revealed that the average total waste production per day spiked from 3,794 tonnes in February to 3,990 tonnes in March, while the average for the first 10 days of April stood at 3,070 tonnes.
The drop in garbage output has dipped steeply in the last week.
Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner for solid waste management, said the average wet waste also dropped from 1,200 tonnes to 850-900 tonnes in the past two weeks. “The biggest reduction is in the mixed waste dumped in the landfills, which fell from 2,000 tonnes to 1,200 tonnes. The vehicles carrying the waste to the landfills came down from 350 to below 270,” Khan said.
The amount of dry waste, including recyclable materials that do not reach the landfills and are handled by civic workers or ragpickers, has also seen a marked reduction on account of the lockdown.
Officials explained that the lockdown has curbed the consumption of several items that usually generate solid waste. “As people are buying lesser things now, they are throwing out less garbage, too. This is a major blessing,” admitted an official.
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