Now, onus on contractors to set up processing plants

The beleaguered Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has asked garbage contractors to set up processing plants on its land.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy said the Palike was planning to incorporate a clause making it mandatory for the contractors to collect the waste, transport it to the processing units and ‘scientifically’ dispose them, all by themselves.

“The processing plants will be set up at the zonal level where the local garbage contractor can dump the waste. We will provide the land for setting up the plants. It will be their responsibility to clear the waste,” said Murthy.

As the first step towards implementing the policy, the Palike will ask Terra Firma to take over the disposal of the waste dumped on its land and provide all possible amenities to the residents of nearby villages.

“We are asking Terra Firma to build the infrastructure, conduct health camps and also to ensure that foul smell doesn’t emanate from its landfill. They have given us a proposal, which is likely to be approved by the Palike Council,” said Murthy.

Murthy blamed the local legislators for their lack of co-operation and the officials of lower ranks in the Palike for their apathy in tackling the garbage crisis
The Mayor said he would not provide any grants under the Mayor’s relief fund and Palike MLA fund to those who did ‘not co-operate.’

Engineers to be hired

The Karnataka government has approved the Palike’s proposal to hire 50 environmental engineers on a contract basis for management of solid waste.

BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel, in a press statement on Thursday, said the State government has laid certain conditions with regard to the appointment: the Palike should hire engineers specialised in environment for a contract period of one year; they will not be considered as BBMP officials; the Palike will bear the burden of salary and other expenses to these engineers.

With the garbage crisis mounting every day, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar cleared the proposal in two days, a press release from Goel said.

The engineers will be outsourced through Man Power Agency for a year.
The applicants should have a degree in environmental engineering and their services will not be regularised under any circumstances, the commissioner said. Their salaries will be paid through available resources in the Palike, he added.

Onus on engineers

The executive engineers at zonal level will be entrusted with the additional responsibility of solid waste management, which was hitherto taken up deputy environment engineers. They will report to the head office. Besides, the tasks carried out by environmental engineers will be delegated to sub-division assistant executive engineers, said the Palike in a press release.