The waste management system of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is still dependent on landfills, with the seven processing plants not functioning to their capacity.
Bengaluru generates around 4,500 tonnes of waste per day. The BBMP is sending just around 550 tonnes per day to the seven processing units, even though the installed capacity is 2,100 tonnes.
Senior officials said the civic body is unable to increase the quantum of waste being sent to the processing units owing to resistance from local communities. Many of the processing units are close to housing layouts.
The official stated that the BBMP is working on increasing the quantum of waste being sent to the processing units to at least 1,600 tonnes of segregated waste. “The plants were set up to accept mixed waste. But, we want to improve segregation levels and send only segregated, organic waste to the processing units,” an official said.
At present, just around 50% of the total waste generated in the city gets segregated at source.
The Karnataka High Court and the National Green Tribunal's Southern Regional Monitoring Committee had both suggested to the BBMP to decentralise processing of waste by setting up small-scale processing units in the city. The revival of the bio-methanisation plants, officials argued, is part of the decentralisation plan.
However, experts said the BBMP has been blaming resistance from local communities living around these plants without addressing the real issue of odour control. That apart, the BBMP has also not made any serious effort to improve segregation levels. If only segregated, organic waste is sent to the plants where adequate measures are taken for odour control, most of the city's garbage problems will be solved, they said.