BBMP marshals powerless to fine those burning garbage

Garbage-burning has become widespread in the city with the BBMP failing to invoke the severe penalties it introduced to check the hazardous practice.

Disappointingly enough, marshals appointed to enforce the Solid Waste Management (SWM) rules have no records of punishing those setting fire to garbage in open spaces that worsen air quality and poses a danger to citizens’ health.

BBMP’s SWM bylaws prohibit burning garbage in buildings, on the roadside or in public or private properties, including vacant sites. It imposes a fine of Rs 10,000 on residents who dump, burn, or bury garbage illegally and Rs 25,000 on commercial bulk waste generators.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Marshal Rajbir Singh said marshals have no power to penalise those burning garbage, even as he acknowledged that it violates the rules. “It is punishable under the SWM rules,” he said.

Almitra H Patel, a solid waste management expert, said marshals should also be given the powers to penalise those who burn garbage.

“Marshals are already known to citizens as they have been enforcing many SWM-related activities, be it segregation of waste or penalising those who dump garbage in public places,” she said.

Senior BBMP officials, for their part, said marshals have powers to penalise offenders.

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