A few years go, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), weighed down by the city’s burgeoning garbage problem, decided to set up 15 bio-methanisation plants to process green waste (wet waste). That way, the civic body hoped to save on the transportation cost to landfills while at the same time managing waste within city limits.
With this in mind, 13 bio-methanisation plants were set up. The electricity generated from bio-gas was used to power streetlights. On paper, it seemed like an eco-friendly solution to the garbage crisis.
Cut to November 2017: As many as 11 bio-methanisation plants have shut down. While 10 plants — managed by Ashoka Biogreen Pvt. Ltd. — stopped operations in December 2016 over ‘non-payment of bills’, one plant being managed by Mailhem Engineers Pvt. Ltd. was handed over to the BBMP in October this year after the contract ended. Currently, only two of the 13 plants are functioning.
Sunil Raisoni, director of Ashoka Biogreen Pvt. Ltd., told The Hindu that the company had bagged the tender to set up 12 plants. However, with the BBMP unable to provide land for two plants, they constructed only 10 and commissioned them between April 2014 and July 2015. “To date, the BBMP owes us approximately ₹24 crore. That apart, with the civic body not sending adequate wet waste to the plants, their functioning was adversely affected,” he said.
According to Mr. Raisoni, the BBMP set up a Scrutiny Committee to resolve the issue of pending dues. In March 2017, the committee reportedly recommended that the contractor be paid.
“However, we have not received any payment from the BBMP. We have written around 3,000 letters from the start of the project with regard to payments,” he said. Though the project was funded by the 13th Finance Commission, the BBMP failed to release payments on time.
Mailhem Engineers Pvt. Ltd. was managing three plants in Mathikere, Kuvempunagar and Gandhinagar wards. Naveen A.R., territory manager of the company, said that they continue to operate the plant in Kuvempunagar and Gandhinagar. “The tender for the plant in Gandhinagar will end in March 2018. The plant in Mathikere has already been handed over to the BBMP. Sadly, it is not being maintained,” he said.
Civic body to take over operations
Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), acknowledged that most bio-methanisation plants have been shut down. He said that Ashoka Biogreen had not been operating the plants as per the standard operating procedure.
The company has denied this allegation.
Mr. Khan said that the BBMP would soon take over and operate these plants itself. “The zonal joint commissioners will be asked to oversee the operation and maintenance of these plants. It is not rocket science, and the systems are already in place,” he said, adding that the civic body will also take over operating the waste management plants in Doddabidarakallu, Chikkanagamangala and Subbarayanapalya.
Info box
Bio-methanisation plants that have shut down
What constitutes green/wet waste
Kitchen waste
Leftover food
Animal dung
