Bangalore Apartments’ Federation urges govt to scrap Rs 12/kg fee for bulk waste generators

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF) on Tuesday raised strong objections to the revised solid waste management charges for bulk waste generators, calling the fee “discriminatory” and financially burdensome.

It urged the government to immediately withdraw the new fee structure, which it said is nearly 600% more than what residents in independent houses pay.

Addressing the media, BAF said the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has started sending notices to apartment complexes with more than 100 units to pay Rs 12 per kg of waste.

“The fee is significantly higher than those levied on independent houses,” Satish Mallya, president of the federation, said.

BAF said that while an independent house under 2,000 sqft pays a nominal Rs 100 per month through property tax, apartment residents are now being charged Rs 12 per kg of waste.

“With an added 18% GST, this translates to roughly Rs 360 per flat per month, which is a staggering 600% increase in waste disposal costs,” the federation said.

For large apartment complexes, the impact is substantial. “A 500-unit residential complex could end up paying several lakhs of rupees every month towards waste management,” it pointed out.

Calling the pricing structure inequitable, BAF leaders said the burden disproportionately affects apartment dwellers despite their longstanding compliance with sustainable waste practices.

“Most apartment communities have implemented in-situ wet waste processing and source segregation for years,” the federation said. “Punishing us with exorbitant fees and treating families in flats different from those in independent houses is severe discrimination.”

BAF has suggested immediate measures, including abolishing direct vendor payments, introducing a compost buyback system, and mandating transparent consultations with apartment associations before implementing any pricing changes.

BAF leaders Pradeep Pai, K Arun Kumar and Vishwa Venkata Reddy were present at the press conference.