Even as a few thousand tonnes of garbage was added to the city’s streets on Sunday, the State government and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) continued to crank up the PR machinery with Deputy Chief Minister and city in-charge R. Ashok saying the crisis would end in four days.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar claimed that the government was working towards a permanent solution.
Five dumping yards have been identified and several projects for scientific processing of waste have been given the green signal.
Proposals for waste to energy projects and composting were before the government, he said.
“We will discuss these in the next Cabinet meeting and award the contracts,” he said.
Work orders
Mr. Ashok told reporters here that three firms will be given work orders to process the waste. Hanjeer Biotech will get 750 tonnes of waste, while Coromandel Fertilizers will get 700 tonnes.
The company managing the landfill at Mandur — Srinivas Gayathri Resource Recovery Ltd. — will be commissioning a waste-to-energy project soon, he said.
“Besides taking steps to clear the accumulated garbage at the landfill, a high pressure deodoriser will reduce the stench and kill mosquitoes.
“The BBMP will also spend Rs. 10 crore to provide potable water, improve roads and conduct health camps for the communities around Mandur,” he said.
While alternative dumping sites would only offer temporary solutions, Mr. Ashok said that the government had taken steps to find permanent solutions. Several new waste processing projects have been approved to this end.
Segregation
Segregation of waste at source would be given more stress, he said and urged the city’s elected representatives, including MLAs and councillors, to undertake a campaign.
He claimed that vested interests were inciting the communities around Mandur for their political ends.
“Those leading the protest at Mandur are neither residents nor are they concerned about the community there,” he said.
Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy, Deputy Mayor L. Srinivas and BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel were present.