The Solid Waste Management Round Table has urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to redraft the Solid Waste Management (SWM) bylaws as they ‘undermine Karnataka High Court’s directions’.
According to a press release by Solid Waste Management Round Table, since the draft bylaws had given exclusive focus to collection and transportation from bulk generators through outsourced contractors, it would bring back the contractor monopoly. “The bylaws in its present form is an attempt to bring back the contractor monopoly creating a big setback to the efforts made thus far,” the release said.
Since the bylaws suggested that up to 35% of waste would be landfilled, the Solid Waste Management Round Table fears that it would create legal sanction for landfills, which would go against the requirement of SWM Rules of 2016 that had prescribed zero landfill.
Sandya Narayanan of Solid Waste Management Round Table said that they were disappointed that the civic agency did not hold any discussion with stakeholders at the pre-drafting and post-drafting stage.
“Bengaluru has always been a pioneer of SWM practices. We are optimistic that the BBMP will take due notice of the concerns that have been raised and reflected in the feedback, and take appropriate action to issue modified robust bylaws through a consultative process,” she said.
The civic body, in August this year, had notified for the first time bylaws for Solid Waste Management (SWM). It had sought objections and suggestions from the public.
