The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has framed the draft solid waste management bylaws. These bylaws mandate that all citizens must segregate garbage at source and not dump the waste in either plastic or non-biodegradable bags at any given point of time.
While cautioning that wet waste and dry waste shall not be mixed, the bylaws also have a penalty clause to ensure that the citizens follow scientific solid waste disposal practices. The fine will be levied on per-day basis.
According to the draft bylaws, citizens who throw garbage in public places or vacant sites will be fined Rs. 200, while those found spitting, urinating, defecating or taking bath in public places will be fined Rs. 100. Those who do not segregate waste will be fined Rs. 100. Bulk generators who do not compost wet waste will be levied a fine of Rs. 500. A fine of Rs. 1,000 will be levied on those mixing construction debris with wet waste and those who do not hand over garden waste separately.
The BBMP proposes to levy a fine of Rs. 500 on citizens who burn garbage and those who do not segregate meat wastes. Hawkers who dump indiscriminately will be fined Rs. 50, while those who burn leaves will be fined Rs. 100. Owners of pets which create public nuisance (urination, defecation) will be fined Rs. 50.
Interaction
On Friday, the BBMP organised an interactive meeting for councillors with the former chairperson of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board H.C. Sharath Chandra. He said that the garbage problem had compounded over the past 30 years due to increased urbanisation. He also said that scientific disposal plants should be set up in each zone.
The major deficiencies, he said, were littering due to unorganised primary collection, irregular garbage lifting and unsatisfactory treatment of municipal solid waste. He added that when he was chairperson, he had written to the Bangalore Development Authority to earmark at least 25 per cent of land in new layouts for waste disposal units.
Certificate course
H.S.R. Layout councillor K. Lata Narasimha Murthy will soon graduate from a certificate course on India – Women in Leadership programme, conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. The programme is on effective participation by women in local self-government. It aims to strengthen the capabilities of women leaders.
