Waste action plan ready, says Bangalore mayor

Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy has advised all joint commissioners to identify sites for dry waste collection centres by Saturday.

Corporators, officials, NGOs and contractors met on Tuesday and decided to formulate an action plan to be implemented on a war footing with time frames on Sakala model. Each action was identified, responsibility fixed and time line stipulated.
The mayor said he would issue a letter to all corporators to advise joint commissioners on BBMP or other government sites for setting up of dry waste segregation centres by Saturday.

Zonal joint commissioners will have to submit the final list on September 17 which will be notified before construction begins. If sites are not available, existing land of revenue or other departments will be requisitioned for the purpose.

Shivashankar, additional commissioner (east), who has already undertaken construction of 49 such centres, will evaluate different designs for different dimensions of sites available to zonal additional commissioner or joint commissioners or superintendent engineers for starting construction and fabrication works which will be completed by October 1.

It is proposed to bring garbage cleaning service under the Karnataka Sakala Seve Act 2011. The sanitary inspector will be responsible for removing garbage dumps within 24 hours as and when sought by citizens who can call at 08044554455 for enquiry, complaint and compensatory cost.

A variety of information, education and communication (IEC) materials such as stickers, handbills, posters, banners, radio jingles, TV spots and slides will be prepared and disseminated with the help of residential welfare associations (RWAs), non government organisations (NGOs), media and educational institutions.

People will be made aware of the penalties to be levied if they fail to adhere to segregation at source rules with effect from October 1.

In view of the forthcoming Ganesha festival, the BBMP will take up IEC campaign on taking necessary precautions for minimum generation of waste. Visarjana Kendras will be launched and cash awards will be given to RWAs for maintaining cleanliness.

The garbage management plans, dry and wet waste processing and dumping, etc, will be decentralised to zonal deputy commissioners. Separate tenders will be floated for each zone.The grievance management cell will be strengthened with a central helpline 080-2266 0000. All complaints shall be addressed within 24 hours.

The information technology advisor shall coordinate and upgrade the monitoring by way of mobile governance (pilot started in Jayanagar). Shortage of staff and equipment and infrastructure shall be immediately addressed by special commissioner (projects) using available funds under the 13th Finance Commission. Paper notifications will be issued for inviting interested parties, especially abandoned quarry owners, to give their land for landfill sites, the mayor said.