Retrograde! Experts decry decision to discontinue dry waste vehicles

Experts reminded the BBMP that the proposal violates its own SWM rules

Solid Waste Management (SWM) experts have dubbed as a “retrograde step” the decision by the BBMP to discontinue sending a separate vehicle to collect dry waste.

Experts also reminded the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) that the proposal violates its own SWM rules that promote partnership with the waste picker community and self-help groups.

As per the proposal, which would be discussed at an important meeting on Thursday, the BBMP wants to engage one agency for the collection of wet, dry and sanitary waste along with transporting leaves and clearing blackspots in a ward.

The civic body might copy the system followed in Ahmedabad and Indore where vehicles with two compartments are deployed to separately collect wet and dry waste.

Sandhya Narayan, member, Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), believes that the partitioned vehicle would not work. “The destination point for wet waste is completely different than for dry waste. Secondly, the volume of dry waste is huge and the half-partitioned space of the vehicle is not enough,” she said.

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“In the long run, too, there is a high chance of waste getting mixed and ending up in the landfills. This is not good for the city,” Sandhya added.

Nalini Shekar of Hasiru Dala, which works with the waste picker’s community, said segregation levels have seen major improvements in at least 40 wards where the BBMP has engaged self-help groups for collecting dry waste.

“The volume of dry waste coming to the dry waste collection centres has gone up by several fold. It has given livelihood to hundreds of families,” she said.

To continue this partnership, she requested the BBMP to make it mandatory for the tender participant to attach a letter of intention of collaborating with waste pickers and self-help groups.

Will continue to work with waste pickers, says BBMP

Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP’s Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management division, said the civic body has no plans to stop engaging waste pickers and self-help groups.

“The waste pickers will continue to run the dry waste collection centres. Only the collection of dry waste will be given to one contractor. This is being done to fix responsibility to ensure the wards are clean and waste is collected from every house,” he said.

He said the changes are needed as many residents are not happy with two vehicles coming to their house at different times to collect wet and dry waste.

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