Bulk generators of waste, which include big apartment complexes and hotel complexes, may get a 50% rebate on the garbage cess if they have facilities to process wet waste generated within their premises, according to a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) proposal.
The proposal is likely to be discussed by the BBMP council on Tuesday.
According to highly placed sources in the BBMP, bulk generators that are likely to benefit, if the council approves the proposal, are apartment complexes (with more than 50 units) and commercial establishments that generate more than 10 kg waste every day, such as hotels and restaurants, marriage halls, malls, and paying guest accommodation. However, the rebate will not be applicable to religious organisations, government-run establishments and campuses (that are spread over more than 5,000 sq. m), bakeries, among others, according to the proposal.
The civic body has been collecting garbage cess along with the property tax from the 2011–12 fiscal year. This cess is just around 9% to 15% of the total spending on solid waste management. The BBMP’s spending on solid waste management crossed ₹1,000 crore in 2017–18.
Sources said that according to the proposal, the rebate on the cess will help incentivise more bulk generators to take up in situ composting, and reduce the burden on landfills and processing plants that have been established on the city’s outskirts. The note in the proposal points out that while many bulk generators in the city have their own processing units set up, there are several others who continue to rely on the services provided by the BBMP’s empanelled garbage contractors. “By offering the rebate, we hope that these bulk generators also put in place some processing mechanism in situ ,” the source said.
With the Assembly elections round the corner, N.S. Ramakanth, member of the Expert Committee on Solid Waste Management, hoped that the council will approve this subject. “The rebate in cess was proposed nearly three years ago. It has been placed before the council at least twice earlier. However, the council has deferred the subject and has not taken any decision. We hope that the subject is approved at least this time around,” he said.
Amendment to Act
However, sources pointed out that even if the council were to approve the subject, it will still need approval from the Legislative Assembly, which will have to to bring in an amendment in the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. “It is only after the amendment that the rebate can be implemented,” the source said.
