JOIN USAfter a marathon meeting with villagers at Mandur on Monday, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) managed to convince the gram panchayat to accept garbage from the City at least till January 31.
With more garbage mounts in sight over the next week on account of festivities, BBMP Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy, MLA Aravind Limbavali and Commissioner Rajneesh Goel had rushed to Mandur to meet the agitating villagers.
Rakesh Gowda, one of the gram panchayat members, told Deccan Herald that the Mayor promised them that garbage won’t be dumped at Mandur landfill from February.
“He told us that the number of trucks transporting garbage from the City will be reduced in three months,” he said.
Goel reiterated that the meeting with the villagers was “positive”, with the Palike agreeing to stop garbage flow to Mandur by February 1.
“We will bring down the number of trucks offloading garbage at Mandur by 75 every month. Currently, 225 trucks are sent every day to the landfill. By February 1, no garbage-laden truck will enter Mandur,” said Goel.
According to the Palike chief executive, with 40 per cent of the garbage being segregated at source, the number of trucks plying to Mandur is sufficient and there will be no additional burden on the landfill.
"After February 1, we will look at alternative options for disposal of waste. For now, the citizens need to segregate waste more regularly,” he said.
Earlier in the day, BBMP Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy said the Palike was geared up to handle the extra load from Tuesday. “We will run extra trips to clear garbage from City streets. Also, we have opened up the quarry landfills at S Bangipura, Lakshmipura and Kalubalu to dispose of waste,” he said.
However, speaking to the media, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman Vaman Acharya said he had not given permission to open the quarries for dumping garbage. “As per the law, we are not allowed to permit dumping of garbage in the quarries. But, looking at the deepening crisis, we have not objected either,” he said.
Murthy said they have scheduled extra trips for clearing garbage during the festive season. “In case of need, alternative arrangements have been made to rope in private transport players,” he said.
On whether the BBMP has funds to set up 16 biomethane plants, with each plant likely to cost Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore (for a 200-tonne plant), Murthy said the Palike will utilise the amount received from the 13th Finance Commission.