BBMP exempts small apartments

Apartment blocks with less than 10 apartments will be exempt from setting up composting units, while larger ones could take a decision based on feasibility within their premises to go ahead with it or not within 60 days from October 1. In the meantime, garbage will continue to be collected without fees by the assigned contractors across the city.

However, in case the larger apartment blocks are unable to set up their own common composting unit in their premises citing non-feasibility, the respective apartment associations or cooperative housing societies should make own arrangements to have the segregated waste removed from their premises with garbage contractors at a nominal fee and in consultation with BBMP’s health officer, according to BBMP commissioner Rajneesh Goel.

The garbage collection fee will be decided on the basis of the volume of wet waste generated by the apartment block. This would be arrived at after the zonal joint commissioner of BBMP conducts inspections over the 60-day period to determine how much wet waste is generated daily by each of these large apartment blocks.

As per BBMP norms, occupancy certificates do lay down conditions that state that apartment blocks with more than 10 apartments should each set up bio-gas plant and composting units. But it also lays down that in case any apartment block is unable to set these up, they can approach the zonal joint commissioner with a written plea and the segregated waste will be picked up by garbage contractors at a nominal fee as decided.

However, Goel pointed out that if biogas plants are set up within the apartment blocks “it would be a win-win situation for the apartment’s residents as they can accrue the benefits of additional gas for cooking purposes”.

But as things stand now, benefits or not, a majority of the residents of apartment blocks in the city are averse to the idea of setting up composting units, let alone biogas plants which take up much larger space.

“Where’s the space?” asks Sunanda Krishnamurthy, secretary, Jayanthi Apartments Owners’ Association (JAOA) on 13th Cross Malleswaram. “It is not that we don’t want to do it, but we have done everything that BBMP has asked us to do, and now there is absolutely no space to set up a composting unit.”

KG Shashidhar, president, Richards Town Residents Association (RTRA), says, “My opinion is two-folds. Segregation of waste is a very good initiative. It is simple and it makes sense for a city like Bangalore. But how it is handled is what matters. If composting units are put up, it will become difficult to handle as it requires space and time. The implementation matters.”

Umeshwara, member, resident’s forum, Koramangala, says “There are some valid questions I mean to ask the BBMP officials. Now, we have to pay Rs100 along with the tax for garbage cess. Why can’t the BBMP collect another Rs 100 and just segregate the waste by hiring more people? The whole problem started when the BBMP workers went on strike. With that, the problems of the city began and have become never-ending. The question of discipline is something we need to worry. In slums, people will not segregate anything. They will throw it into drains which will then get blocked. It will only lead to overflowing drains and then to epidemic outbreaks.”

But Devarajappa BM, president, Sahakaranagar Resident Welfare Association, is more optimistic. He says, “This is a very important move by BBMP as the waste will go back to the place it came back from. We need to understand that if we make manure and send it back to farmers, we will have cleaner vegetables and fruits and the waste from our kitchens are going back to the earth. We have also decided to hold a workshop with BBMP on Saturday so that we understand how it can be done in an easy and effective way.”

Several residents who are yet to understand the concept of composting feel that  setting up such units in the premises of large apartment blocks would lead to strong stench, besides the problem of mosquitoes and various insects in the areas.

But Meenakshi Bharat, member, Yes In My Backyard and Solid Waste Management-Round Table (SWM-RT), says that would not happen if the composting is done the proper way.

For that reason, Sunanda Krishnamurthy of JAOA feels that office bearers of various apartment owners’ association should meet and draw up a plan which could be presented before respective corporators.