Palike dry waste collection centres remain unutilised

People too lazy to hand over dry waste though they get paid: Operators

Though the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has set up Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) in Palike wards, most of them remain unutilised.

According to the DWCC operators, residents and bulk waste generators like apartment complexes are too ‘lazy’ to hand over the dry waste to these centres though people get paid for the trash they provide.

Dwarkanath, in charge of dry waste collection at the Shivajinagar Kartavya DWCC, said: “Our centre which is run by Indian Tobacco Corporation has been operational for the past four years. Barring Russell Market traders and a milk parlour nearby, none of the other shop keepers and residents hand over waste despite our visible presence in the locality.”

He said that, presently, the DWCC is collecting 400 to 500 tonnes of waste comprising cardboard boxes, plastic, colour paper and thermocol, among others. “We collect waste from Malleswaram, TC Palya, Sarjapur, Kudlu Gate and other localities. Most of the waste is collected from firms and apartments we have tied up with. We had approached residents earlier, but most of them hesitate to give us the waste,” said Dwarkanath.
Similarly, operators at the Kasa Rasa DWCC Centre, Koramangala, rued about the poor public response. “We have conducted various awareness campaigns in the past.

However, residents are still not keen to give us dry waste. We get dry waste from BBMP garbage contractors and a few corporate companies. Currently, we collect about 300 kg of dry waste everyday,” said Nityananda, manager of the DWCC.

Anitha K L, from GilGal Charitable Trust DWCC Centre, Yelahanka, said, another hindrance that the centres face is improper segregation of waste at source and mixed waste that is handed over to the pourakarmikas. Despite the Centre’s door-to-door campaign, 100 per cent dry waste collection is not happening, she said. “Some people are not aware that such centres exist,” Anitha said.

Meanwhile, N S Ramakanth, member of the BBMP expert management on solid waste management, said that residents prefer kabadiwalas (collectors of private dry recyclable waste) for handing over their waste, instead of the DWCCs.

For high value

“Some centres collect dry waste from BBMP  pourak­ar­mikas, but only a few of them collect high value waste from households. The poura­kar­mi­kas also rue the mixed waste given by residents. Competitive market rates and more awareness about DWCCs at Palike ward offices can improve the situation,” he said.

BBMP commissioner M Lakshminarayana said that after the recent public notice issued in the media on DWCCs and the money paid for different categories of dry waste, the public response has been good. “There are around 185 DWCCs presently operating. However, we want more number of people to assist us and cooperate with the DWCC operators,” he said.