Urban News

The Deccan Chronicle  10.11.2010

Nov. 9: It would be almost funny if it wasn’t so outrageous. The BBMP which has left Bengalureans fuming at the garbage strewn around the city, is now thinking of levying a user fee on them in proportion to the amount of rubbish they generate in their homes and offices.

The civic fathers are apparently aping San Francisco in this matter. One wonders why they are not following that city’s example and making sure that Bengaluru is as clean as it is.

No Bengalurean will be happy to be taxed to fund the BBMP’s blatant inefficiency in garbage collection. The Residents Welfare Associations (RWA) have, not surprisingly, strongly opposed its move to introduce the user fee , seeing it as yet another way of fleecing the common man. “Why should the BBMP collect the user fee from the people when management of garbage is one of its primary functions? It cannot raise revenue this way,” objects chairman of the Citizen Action Forum (CAF) N. S. Mukunda.

If the BBMP wants to reduce the rubbish generated in the city why isn’t it popularising the concept of segregation of garbage at source and recycling of plastic and paper waste, which will automatically cut down the quantity of rubbish to be taken to the dumping yards, he wonders. Introduction of a user fee will give scope for harassment of people and an inspector raj, he warns, predicting that malls and residential apartments will be targeted by officials to make a quick buck.

Pointing out that the BBMP spends nearly Rs 150 crore annually on solid waste management, Mr Mukunda maintains it can save at least Rs 80 crore if it scientifically processes garbage. “The compost can be exported or used in BBMP parks and recycling of dry waste like paper, plastic and polythene may fetch it revenue as well," he argues.

Prof. Ashwin Mahesh of the Indian Institute of Management- Bengaluru says that if at all the user fee is introduced, it must be different for domestic and non- domestic sectors.

“The fee collected must be given to the local body where the dumping yard is located to fund welfare schemes,” he suggests. But Bengalureans can visualise this happening only when and if the BBMP pulls up its socks and shows it can be relied upon to keep the city clean and not leave it littered with heaps of garbage in its nooks and corners, as it is doing today , much to their despair and shame.

The Hindu  09.11.2010

Illegal dumping of garbage back

Staff Reporter

Despite several agitations and media reports, the illegal garbage dumping at Vambakeerapalayam continues.

PUDUCHERRY: The illegal dumping of garbage at Vambakeerapalayam, which was stopped after several agitations and media reports a few months ago, has resumed. This has put the residents to great discomfort.

An empty field in the area was used as a dumping yard illegally by private contractors of the Puducherry Municipality for a long time. This was followed by several agitations by the residents who complained of verbal abuse by the people who dump the garbage and a host of other issues including mosquito menace.

Health hazards

The residents also resorted to burning of garbage as they said they were unable to bear the stench emanating from the yard. This usually resulted in thick smoke in the area in the afternoons which led to health hazards for the residents.

According to residents, the menace of illegal garbage dumping abated after several media reports on the issue. But over the last few weeks, the tractors have started dumping the garbage again in the same yard.

“These mounds of garbage contain things like glass pieces and used syringes. We are worried that it might hurt our children who play nearby,” said Latha, a resident. The children also walk along with adults on the garbage to collect firewood and plastic bottles.

When contacted, commissioner of Puducherry Municipality Ashokan said that the issue had not been brought to their notice. If illegal garbage dumping had indeed taken place, a notice would be issued and payments for the contractor concerned will be stopped with immediate effect, he said.