Palike bans polythene bags

Resolution to be forwarded to the govt for approval

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council on Friday passed a resolution to ban plastic bags in the wake of garbage pile-up in the City. The resolution will be forwarded to the State government later.

The efficacy of the resolution is doubtful when the BBMP could not enforce its order to ban polythene bags below 40 microns. Despite the ban, plastic bags below 40 microns are used across the City and Palike officials have failed stop their production, sale and use.

Kickback alleged

The garbage crisis raised a stink in the Palike Council after a corporator from Peenya Industrial Area accused the ruling BJP of receiving kickbacks from contractors.

K L Thimmananjaiah (Independent) sought to know why the Palike has not submitted documents pertaining to garbage tender of his ward to the High Court where the cases on the new garbage tender are pending. “Is it the kickbacks from the garbage contractors that makes it to extend the old garbage contracts?” Thimmananjaiah sought to know. All hell broke loose soon after with the BJP and Congress corporators shouting slogans against him for making ‘baseless’ allegations. They demanded that the corporator to retract his statement.

The Mayor directed the Council Secretary to expunge his remarks from the records. He informed the House that the Palike was not holding back the tendering process intentionally.

N R Ramesh, the Yediyur ward corporator emphasised on the need to increase the rents of Palike-owned shops in the City. Citing instances, he said the BBMP has let out several shops for rents ranging between 10 paise per sq ft to Rs four per sq ft. He pointed out that the Palike, facing a financial crunch, was getting a mere Rs 30.46 crore as rent from 6,451 shops in 101 markets in the east, west and south zones whereas at least Rs 300 crore revenue could be generated by fixing rentals at prevailing market prices, he said.