Plans of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to decentralise waste processing has so far been on snooze mode, with nearly all 13 bio-methanisation plants, five organic waste converters and eight leaf cutter and shredder plants gathering dust over the past several months.
The civic body is now planning to revive the bio-methanisation plants, which were set up in different parts of the city between April 2014 and July 2015. The plants, each with a five-tonne capacity, were set up with the objective of processing organic waste and using electricity generated from biogas to power streetlights.
Initially, the plants were being managed by two agencies – Ashoka Biogreen Pvt. Ltd. And Mailhem Engineers Pvt. Ltd. While the contract term of plants managed by Mailhem ended, the ones managed by Ashoka Biogreen were shut down over supposed non-payment of bills. With the issue still in arbitration, the BBMP is now hoping to settle it soon, so that the plants may be revived.
Currently, of the 13 that were set up, only one in Koramangala is operational. The biogas generated by the plant is being used by a popular eatery, located adjacent to the plant, sources said.
Recently, the National Green Tribunal’s Southern Regional Monitoring Committee suggested to the BBMP to decentralise processing of solid waste by setting up small-scale processing units.
BBMP's Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) D. Randeep said the civic body was working towards reviving the bio-methanisation plants and that the BBMP's legal team was working on settling the arbitration. “Once that is settled and the dues are cleared, we will reopen the plants. Since many plants have remained shut for long, we are getting an estimate on the repairs that have to be made,” he said.
Once the plants are repaired and are in working condition, the BBMP will float tenders for operation and management of these plants, he added.
Waste management expert and member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table Sandya Narayanan pointed out that the bio-methanisation plants, organic waste converters and the leaf cutter and shredders all shut down, as the BBMP had not set aside any funds for operation and management.
If all these plants were operational, they would be processing nearly 80 tonnes of organic waste a day, which is almost the quantum of waste generated by an assembly constituency.
“Unfortunately, it all comes down to an administrative issue,” she noted and added that the way forward is to not just reopen the plants, but to revise the conditions for operation and management apart from setting aside funds for the same.