This past Sunday, even as the city observed Swachh Bharat Diwas by spreading the message of garbage segregation, civic officials turned up with earth movers at the dry waste collection centre (DWCC) in Hosahalli and demolished it. The reason: the ward councillor wanted to remove the eyesore that was the DWCC and establish a park there.
In December last year, an adjoining DWCC on the same parcel of land was burnt down in a suspected case of arson.
Vinay R. of Swachh, the non-governmental organisation managing the two DWCCs, both established in 2014, said the area councillor, M. Gayatri, had been pressuring them to vacate both centres for almost a year now. “When the first centre was gutted last year, we suspected [it to be a case of]arson and lodged a police complaint. But before the police could come to the spot and conduct a mahazar (survey), the local engineers razed the building. Now, BBMP officials have demolished the second centre as well, ironically on Swachh Bharat Diwas,” he said.
Both the dry waste collection centres were built in 2014, using funds (Rs. 22 lakh) from the 13th Pay Commission. According to Mr. Vinay, the DWCC was functioning well, receiving 500 to 800 kg of dry waste every day. He said material worth around Rs. 50,000 was at the centre at the time of demolition.
The NGO has now lodged a complaint with the BBMP. Ms. Gayatri was unavailable for comment.
Senior BBMP officials were at a loss to explain why a functional DWCC was demolished. Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, BBMP, said there was no reason for its demolition without prior notice. “This was not a decision to be taken by ward-level officers as it is a government property. I have asked for a report and will immediately move to suspend the officials involved, book a criminal case, and take measures to recover the losses caused by them,” he said.
Hounded out
October 2016: BBMP officials demolish dry waste
collection centre (DWCC) in Hosahalli ward.
December 2015: DWCC on the same parcel of land in Hosahalli gutted in a suspected case of arson. The
damaged building was later demolished.
February 2016: DWCC in JP Park ward partially
demolished, apparently to build a road. However, work
on the road has been stalled.
October 2015: Individuals block access to DWCC in
R.R. Nagar, forcing its closure.
