The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is offering options to residential societies facing strict action for not complying with segregation norms.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Vijay Singhal said, “Housing societies may approach their local assistant municipal commissioners to resolve the issue. Societies short on space may set up vermi composting units at alternate sites. They could also use the 38 organic waste converters set up in the city.”
Mr. Singhal said societies that had secured free Floor Space Index in their building plans for setting up vermi composting units were “bound to utilise space for that purpose”. Mr. Singhal refused to comment on whether the BMC would stop collecting garbage from housing societies that failed to meet the January 2 deadline to segregate waste.
As on November 28, the BMC had identified 3,332 housing societies in the city that generated garbage in bulk. Of these, 2,734 were found to be not processing their waste. The BMC issued notices to 3,402 societies under Section 368 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, which requires housing societies to collect and dispose of garbage. So far, 562 societies have complied with the notices issued to them, but 1,070 societies have asked for an extension. The BMC has initiated action to prosecute 41 societies for non-compliance of norms.
The BMC then issued notices to 140 societies under Section 53 of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966, which requires development of land as per the approved plan. Only 14 societies responded to the notice and sought an extension. The BMC, however, did not take action to prosecute societies for non-compliance under this section.
The civic body sent 268 intimations to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to take action agianst teh socities under the Environmental Protection Act. Later, 31 housing societies complied with orders and seven sought an extension. The BMC has decided to act against 25 of them for non-compliance.
Mr. Singhal said, “We understand we are running short of mechanisms to collect and dispose of garbage separately. We are procuring 10 lakh dustbins for the city to collect dry and wet garbage. Dry waste collection vehicles will be increased from 42 to 94.”
