The New Indian Express 07.06.2013
BBMP begins waste segregation survey
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities began the door-to-door survey on waste segregation in south zone wards on Thursday.
During the survey, residents were seen handing over segregated waste, while the same was being mixed during transportation to landfills.
Madhu Joshi, a housewife, said they are segregating waste since four months. “It only takes an additional five minutes to segregate waste. I have no issues in segregating,” she said. Parimala Rao, a senior citizen who segregates waste at source, said: “It is a simple process. All the waste that contains water needs to be kept separately,” she told ‘Express’, who accompanied the BBMP officials during the survey in Pattabhiram Nagar ward (Jayanagar constituency).
Vennar Organic Fertilizer Private Limited managing director Narendra Babu V, which takes care of BBMP’s Organic Waste Converter (OWC) at Jayanagar, said: “Residents are segregating waste, but the garbage contractors are mixing it up during transportation. We cannot convert mixed waste into manure.” He added, “Earlier, we had chosen 14 streets in Jayanagar 3rd Block and there was a volunteer in each street who would ensure waste is segregated. But, by the time it reaches our OWC, dry and wet waste are mixed.”
On the other hand, pourakarmikas blame residents for not segregating. Manjula, a pourakarmika, said: “Every day, I visit nine streets in Jayanagar. Many people say segregating waste is not their job. If we insist, they scold us. Therefore, we collect whatever waste they give and segregate it ourselves.”
During the visits, BBMP officials collect information from residents such as the house owner’s name, address, telephone number, nature of waste and other details.
BBMP superintendent engineer H T Bettegowda said the survey will go on for at least three to four days. “We will study the data and, based on the report, we will approach the owners who do not segregate waste. With the data, we will have proof too,” he said.
In the coming days, BBMP officials are planning to prepare a list of pourakarmikas, contractors and garbage truck numbers and give it to the Resident Welfare Association members.
“We will co-ordinate with those members to ensure waste is collected and disposed of in a systematic manner,” he added.
