What interest are members of civil society appointed to ward committees showing in solving the garbage problem of the area concerned? What is the quantum of waste collected at various dry waste collection centres and revenue earned from them? These are among other particulars that BBMP will have to submit to the Karnataka High Court by July 17.
A Division Bench comprising Justice N. Kumar and B.V. Nagarathna issued the directions when the civic chief said that dry waste collection centres have been set up in 145 wards and some are managed by the BBMP while some have been handed over to NGOs. It also asked the BBMP to inform how many times ward committees have met so far, what decisions were taken in such meetings, whether the councillors, as chairpersons, had used veto power in decision making, and whether these committees are facing any problem.
Earlier, Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar told the Bench that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken serious note of the complaints by women members of NGOs about threats from garbage contractors and legislators, and had issued necessary instruction to the police. When the A-G said that IAS officer Darpan Jain has been appointed to the newly created post of Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), BBMP without any other responsibilities, the Bench specified that the official should read all the orders passed by the court, BBMP’s response, reports of the expert committee and objections from petitioners when he comes to the court on July 17.Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development Department) D Satyamurthy told the Bench that the process of inviting tenders for setting up 15 to 20 wet waste collection centres within five months is in the final stages. Pointing out that Mandur garbage dump yard was not properly set up, Mr. Satyamurthy said that nowhere in India is garbage dumped in such a vast area of around 150 acres. The Bench suggested that authorities first ‘segregate’ garbage contractors before strictly enforcing segregation of waste at source. It is for separate contractors for collecting wet and dry waste so that garbage segregated by households is not mixed later.
