Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), batted for a decentralised system for solid waste management, calling it far more effective. “There is a new Act for BBMP and the government has also set up a separate company for solid waste management. However, the primary responsibility of waste management will continue to remain with the BBMP,” said Mr. Gupta at the launch of the Citizen Participation Programme on Wednesday.
Under this programme, a decentralised system with zonal/divisional/ward-level coordinators, a Shuchi Mitra at the block level and volunteers at the lane level will be put in place to maintain cleanliness across the city.
Mr. Gupta said junior health inspectors and marshals were working actively and urged citizens to join hands with civic officials to keep the city clean.
Subhash B. Adi, chairman, NGT State-Level Monitoring Committee for SWM, urged citizens to segregate waste at source. Most of the waste produced in the city is being dumped in landfills which pollutes the environment, he noted.
Under the Citizen Participation Programme, the zonal/constituency/ward level coordinators will track block performance on segregation, complaints received from citizens, penalties levied, and monitor the performance of SWM units in the ward. They will also identify gaps and conduct training sessions as ‘Master Trainers’.
At the block level, the Shuchi Mitras will take inputs from lane volunteers and work with autorickshaw drivers, supervisors, link workers and marshals, report on the door-to-door collection, conduct awareness sessions on segregation at source, and track the black spots in the block.
