A combination of Global Positioning System (GPS) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technologies will now be used to monitor the garbage situation in four wards of Bangalore.
The software for this system developed by a private agency for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was launched in Bangalore on Wednesday. The civic body staff, equipped with mobile phones, will capture images of the secondary garbage dumping points situated on the streets also called transfer points in four wards under the pilot project.
K.V. Trilokchandra, Additional Commissioner, BBMP (South zone), said that once the photograph of the transfer point is clicked, it would be superimposed on Google Maps and updated on the BBMP website. “If the dumping stations are not clean then the Assistant Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers and junior health inspectors will get alerts on their mobile phones. By 7 p.m., all Additional Commissioners will receive the update about the garbage situation,” he said.
Mr. Trilokchandra said the red bins on the map indicate that the place is not clean, green bins indicate that the place is clean and yellow bins indicate it has not been reported. He added that the photos could be updated only if the person clicking and uploading the photograph is within two metres away from the secondary dumping stations.
“This method is aimed at keeping the monitoring system in place,” Mr. Trilokchandra said. Apart from checking whether the transit stations are functioning property, the system will also ensure that contractors are picking up the garbage. In addition, the system would also help the civic body understand if segregation of waste is taking place, he added.
Mr. Trilokchandra mentioned that this system could be used to keep a tab as well as monitor the functioning of various amenities such as parks and streetlights. “The project costs Rs. 70,000 a month. However, the cost of mobile phones is a one-time investment,” he added.
Jayanagar MLA B.N. Vijaykumar said this initiative would be started on a pilot basis in four wards and will be implemented in Pattabhi Nagar, Sarakki, Byrasandra and Shakambari Nagar.
Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy said that after observing how this project would be implemented in the four wards, he would place the proposal before the standing committee and council to implement it in the entire city. Ashwin Mahesh, member of ABiDE, suggested that the authorities share the reports with the respective resident welfare associations so that they were aware of garbage collection.
