The Hindu            06.11.2013

BBMP to empanel vendors to collect and process waste in Bangalore

Soon, you will be able to just make a call and get someone to collect waste from your house. This is what the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) hopes to achieve by having in place vendor empanelment.

According to senior BBMP officials, the civic body will have several vendors empanelled (recognised), who will offer solutions to citizens with regard to disposal of various kinds of waste.

The official explained that some kinds of waste, such as construction debris and waste leftover after a function or party, are a burden for the civic body.

“There may be some kinds of waste that can be recycled instead of just being dumped at a landfill. The citizens now have a chance of ensuring this does not happen by contacting vendors, who will ensure that the waste is processed properly,” the official added.

However, these services come at a price. The citizens will have to pay the vendors to pick up the waste.

This is touted as being a “win-win” proposition for both citizens and the civic body. BBMP Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan said that while the BBMP will not be burdened with the waste that can be processed effectively, the citizens can be rest assured that the waste does not end up at the landfill.

“All the vendors who have been empanelled will be listed. Citizens who wish to avail themselves of their services have to call the listed number. With more vendors empanelled, there will be competition amongst them and they will be forced to offer their services at competitive rates,” he added.

The BBMP, he said, will soon issue the expression of interest for the processing of various wastes-dry, wet, plastics, metals, construction debris and e-waste.

“The manpower and machinery that the vendor has will be checked before he is empanelled. Once empanelled, their performance will be reviewed on an annual basis,” he said.

Waste expert N.S. Ramakanth averred that the proposal is likely to benefit bulk waste generators more than individual homes. Stating that this system can be implemented after a thorough study, he added that the BBMP will specify sanitised landfills for disposal of rejects.

“While some apartment complexes are processing wet and dry waste, they do not know what to do with the rejects or inert waste. Having this system in place is a solution to that problem,” he added.