For a lesson on how poor management can kill the best of intentions, look no further than the open plot under Domlur flyover.
In 2014, a five-tonne biomethanisation plant was set up next to the dry waste collection centre under the Domlur flyover, which was shut down two months ago after the BBMP defaulted on paying maintenance charges. The BBMP said they had refused payments owing to poor maintenance by the contractor.
Initially, electricity from biogas generated from the plant was used to illuminate a park built next to it. Now that the plant has shut down, half of it lies in darkness. “It has now become a prime spot for miscreants,” said Shivakumar V., secretary of the Domlur Residents’ Welfare Association.
Despite it being non-operational, wet waste continues to be brought to the plant from where it is sent to landfills as far as Doddaballapur, said a driver operating a garbage truck. Owing to improper segregation, plastic and wet waste remain mixed on the ground letting out a strong stench. The area also houses a goshala, and cows can be seen eating plastic and leftovers dumped there.
“The biomethanisation plant has been closed as the BBMP has not paid for maintenance or salaries to the employees,” said Domlur councillor C.R. Lakshminarayan. Rahul Anil Awhade, Bengaluru in charge for Ashoka Biogreen Pvt. Ltd., which was contracted to run the plant, said they had shut it down as they had not received payment worth ₹1.86 crore.
BBMP Joint Commissioner (SWM) Sarfaraz Khan said payments had not been made as the contractor had not fulfilled obligations under the contract.
“Instead of five tonnes a day, the plant can process only 3.5 tonnes. The contractor has been asking for only certain types of vegetable waste to be permitted, which is not possible for pourakarmikas, who collect a huge amount of waste daily,” Mr. Khan said.
