The city has at least 100 illegal garbage dumping sites, thanks to the flourishing contractor mafia that has subverted all efforts towards effective management of solid waste, a study by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (Atree) has revealed.
The 10-month study, which concluded in February, shows despite Bengaluru pioneering a policy mandating segregation of dry, wet and medical waste at source, contractors continue to dump mixed waste collected from both bulk generators and individual households.
"Most contractors are owned by BBMP corporators. The nexus between corporators, contractors and BBMP staffers is hindering effective waste segregation and turning the city's lung spaces into landfills," said Megha Shenoy, adjunct fellow at Atree, who was part of the study.
"Also, the contractors, abetted by corporators, are not ready to accept new tenders to pick up waste from bulk generators and individual households. They are following the existing tenders, which are full of loopholes but promise good money. The new tenders have strict norms on waste collection and transportation. They also make GPS mandatory for tracking vehicles carrying waste and promise financial benefits for pourakarmikas," she explained.
Besides the contractor mafia, wide gaps in BBMP's waste management policy have resulted in the city's lakes bearing the brunt of illegal dumping and burning of waste, shows the study.
The city doesn't have adequate infrastructure to handle 4,000 tonnes of waste generated every day by households, said Megha. "Although segregation is being done in a few places, we don't have enough destinations to process the waste. This has caused illegal dumping sites to spring up in and around the city. One may find waste processing centres on paper but the ground reality is different."
Stakeholders within BBMP work in isolation, aggravating the problem. "While the health department is responsible for implementing rules for bulk generators, the engineering department looks into individual waste generation. Surprisingly, there is no coordination between the two. Whenever asked, they are quick to pass the buck," said K Poornima Wasdani, senior research associate at Atree.
"There are no clear instructions on how to manage rejected waste like thermocol. It doesn't have value in the recycling market and hence, is not picked up by collectors. There is no authorized place for treating rejected or mixed waste in the city," she rued.
Sell compost, make money
If you live in a gated community, segregate and treat your own waste at in-society waste treatment plants and you can earn a minimum of Rs 100 per month by selling compost and treated dry waste. This is exactly what residents of four gated communities are doing in Koramangala, Malleswaram, Challaghatta and Jayanagar.
A resident from an apartment complex in Challaghatta said: "Although it should be the duty of every citizen to actively take part in waste segregation, the practice is hardly followed given our busy schedules. However, when the policy starts generating income, it not only acts as an incentive for residents to manage waste, but also opens doors for social entrepreneurship and other job opportunities."
The 10-month study, which concluded in February, shows despite Bengaluru pioneering a policy mandating segregation of dry, wet and medical waste at source, contractors continue to dump mixed waste collected from both bulk generators and individual households.
"Most contractors are owned by BBMP corporators. The nexus between corporators, contractors and BBMP staffers is hindering effective waste segregation and turning the city's lung spaces into landfills," said Megha Shenoy, adjunct fellow at Atree, who was part of the study.
"Also, the contractors, abetted by corporators, are not ready to accept new tenders to pick up waste from bulk generators and individual households. They are following the existing tenders, which are full of loopholes but promise good money. The new tenders have strict norms on waste collection and transportation. They also make GPS mandatory for tracking vehicles carrying waste and promise financial benefits for pourakarmikas," she explained.
Besides the contractor mafia, wide gaps in BBMP's waste management policy have resulted in the city's lakes bearing the brunt of illegal dumping and burning of waste, shows the study.
The city doesn't have adequate infrastructure to handle 4,000 tonnes of waste generated every day by households, said Megha. "Although segregation is being done in a few places, we don't have enough destinations to process the waste. This has caused illegal dumping sites to spring up in and around the city. One may find waste processing centres on paper but the ground reality is different."
Stakeholders within BBMP work in isolation, aggravating the problem. "While the health department is responsible for implementing rules for bulk generators, the engineering department looks into individual waste generation. Surprisingly, there is no coordination between the two. Whenever asked, they are quick to pass the buck," said K Poornima Wasdani, senior research associate at Atree.
"There are no clear instructions on how to manage rejected waste like thermocol. It doesn't have value in the recycling market and hence, is not picked up by collectors. There is no authorized place for treating rejected or mixed waste in the city," she rued.
Sell compost, make money
If you live in a gated community, segregate and treat your own waste at in-society waste treatment plants and you can earn a minimum of Rs 100 per month by selling compost and treated dry waste. This is exactly what residents of four gated communities are doing in Koramangala, Malleswaram, Challaghatta and Jayanagar.
A resident from an apartment complex in Challaghatta said: "Although it should be the duty of every citizen to actively take part in waste segregation, the practice is hardly followed given our busy schedules. However, when the policy starts generating income, it not only acts as an incentive for residents to manage waste, but also opens doors for social entrepreneurship and other job opportunities."