Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department (UDD) B.H. Anil Kumar, who took charge as Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Wednesday, said he would work towards providing a “clean, transparent and responsive administration.”
Mr. Kumar will inherit some of the city’s more pressing problems from solid waste management to pothole ridden roads.
Stressing on the need to maintain Bengaluru’s image as an international city, he made a pitch for a “vision document” for planned growth.
“There are many experts on solid waste management, water, environment, apart from institutions of international repute. We will bring them on board to create a Vision 2050 document, draw up action plans and form task forces for achieving the targets,” he said, adding that citizens’ participation would be crucial in this effort.
Structural and governance reforms needed for the the implementation of the vision document will be put in place shortly.
He conceded that coordination between the different civic agencies and service providers needed improvement. Mr. Kumar pointed out that there already existed a coordination committee, headed by Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, that met once every fortnight.
“We will also form a sub-committee for better coordination. I have already spoken to the City Police Commissioner and soon will have heads of other agencies on board. If all agencies and service providers keep each other informed about activities and work that is being taken up on a particular stretch or area, there will be no problems in coordination,” he said.
Better financial discipline to improve the civic body’s fiscal health and resource mobilisation will be made a priority. “Apart from property tax, there are many untapped revenue sources” he said.
He also touched upon the future of Indira Canteens and said that the Urban Development Department had urged the government (Finance Department) to release at least 50% of the funds required to run them.
“As it is a State government scheme, we are hopeful of some funds being sanctioned,” said Mr. Kumar. On the alleged irregularities in Indira Canteens, and whitetopping and TenderSURE projects, he said a committee has already been formed to look into the issue. “We have directed the committee to submit a report within 15 days,” he added.
With Bellahalli quarry filling up, the BBMP is looking at another quarry pit in Mittaganahalli.
The new commissioner admitted that the civic body has no option but to depend on quarry pits and landfills for a few more months, at the very least. The new garbage tenders are yet to be approved.
“The National Green Tribunal should be practical. The State government has approved two waste-to-energy projects and another five to six are in various stages of approval. There is no one solution to garbage and we need multiple options. Unless these projects are commissioned, we will need to depend on landfills. We will go before the NGT seeking extension of deadline with regard to dumping of waste in landfills,” he added.
