BBMP earns Rs 230 cr in ‘garbage tax’, yet waste woes persist

Bengaluru: In the first month of the new financial year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) collected Rs 230 crore through the recently introduced ‘garbage tax’ — a fee now bundled with property tax for household waste collection.

This new levy has significantly boosted BBMP’s revenue, which touched Rs 1,417 crore in April, up from Rs 985 crore during the same period last year.

The 5% rebate offered to early taxpayers — recently extended until the end of May — may have encouraged many property owners to clear their dues early, despite the additional burden of the new tax.

However, while the BBMP has been prompt in tax collection, solid waste management (SWM) services still lag. Garbage auto-tippers often fail to make daily rounds, and their arrival times are inconsistent.

As a result, many households are forced to store wet waste at home for two to three days. The number of garbage black spots has not come down, showing the absence of waste collection in some areas.

Reforms on the horizon

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML), responsible for handling the 5,500 tonnes of waste generated in the city daily, has acknowledged the problems and assured that reforms are underway — though they will take time to implement. The agency also stated that contractor payments will now be made on time, independent of BBMP grants.

“We have initiated three major programmes,” said Harish Kumar, CEO of BSWML. “A new Collection and Transportation (C&T) system will be introduced shortly, which includes replacing all outdated auto-tippers and increasing the number of vehicles to cover left-out areas. The High Court has given us a four-month deadline to complete the tender process.”

Kumar also reiterated the proposal to streamline the management of Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris.

“Until now, residents had no proper way to dispose of debris, leading to dumping in lakes, drains and on footpaths. This will change with the new system,” he said.

He also announced that BSWML would soon take possession of approximately 100 acres of land at two locations to develop integrated solid waste management facilities.

“These sites will focus on waste processing and composting, reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills. All of these measures will ensure the city is clean,” he noted.

On April 7 this year, DH reported that many property owners were seeing up to a 35% increase in property tax after the BBMP introduced the ‘garbage tax’. The fee has been made applicable to all households and commercial establishments, barring bulk waste generators, provided they seek exemption on the tax portal.