Organisers of big events will soon have to give an undertaking to the civic body specifying the measures for waste management, who the empanelled vendor is and where trash will be dumped.
Despite Bengaluru playing host to concerts, shows, and other events that attract huge crowds, organisers rarely follow the prescribed waste management practices even though rules and regulations are already in place. “Unless these details are provided, the BBMP will not issue any permission to organise any event,” said D. Randeep, Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), BBMP.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now working on a notification, specifically targeted at organisers of big events, one that will hold them accountable when it comes to following end-to-end solutions. This comes after several citizens pointed out to the poor waste management practices at a couple of events that were held in the city recently. Citizens noted the presence of banned items such as flex boards and plastic cutlery, and the absence of dustbins and waste segregation.
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Odette Kartak, co-founder of Beautiful Bengaluru, an initiative that works towards a clean, green and safe city, pointed out event managers should focus on bringing down waste generation by stressing on use of re-usables and not disposables like plastic cutlery and paper cups. “We were shocked when organisers at a recent event asked us to empty our water bottles and forced everyone to buy bottled water at inflated rates,” she said. “Currently, financial and marketing gains seem to be taking precedence over eco-friendly practices.”
She was dismayed at the way a large event that witnessed participation of nearly 15,000 citizens was organised. She has started an online petition demanding that the State government and the various civic agencies put in place regulations for big events to ensure proper waste generation.
According to Mr. Randeep, the civic body had, in 2015, issued a notification for event organisers, but conceded that it is not being followed. “Now, we are basing the notification on the rules and regulations specified under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the plastic ban that is in force,” he said.
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Measures will be taken to ensure that event organisers toe the line. The draft of the new notification is ‘currently being vetted internally’. Once approved by BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, it would be issued within a fortnight, he added.