Unable to enforce segregation of waste at source or run processing plants without citizens protesting, the city’s planners have hit upon a novel solution.
They are planning to load the garbage generated by Bengaluru onto goods trains, which will then undertake a nearly 100-km long journey to Marikuppam near KGF and Madhugiri, Tumakuru.
The Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) has identified government-owned lands of 1,000 acres in each of these locations and plans to set up “waste parks”, where they will invite private parties to invest in waste processing technology.
“We have selected locations keeping in mind train connectivity. We will lay down last-mile rail connectivity to these parks. We are unable to run processing plants in the city owing to popular protests and hence have decided to move out,” said Kenchegowda, chairman, KCDC, adding that a buffer zone will be maintained around the parks.
But Bengaluru’s decision to look to neighbouring districts to dispose its waste has not gone down well with residents of Marikuppam and Madhugiri. Organisations in KGF held a protest in their city. Janardhana, secretary, Samudaya, KGF, said that people were already suffering from cyanide contamination owing to mines, and that dumping waste would further aggravate the situation.
The project is being spearheaded by Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George, for almost a year now, sources said. Critics said that this plan goes against one of the main tenets of Bengaluru’s waste processing strategy — which promotes a decentralised garbage management system.
