The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is considering handing over the operation and management of seven waste processing plants, on the outskirts of the city, to professional agencies. A tender is expected to be floated soon, said officials.
This comes at a time when the solid waste management in the city is likely to come under a separate body. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa recently instructed the BBMP to set up a special purpose vehicle for the same within 15 days. The civic body has been constantly facing opposition from local communities over the mismanagement of the plants.
Of the seven plants, three in Lingadheeranahalli, Seegehalli and Subbarayanapalya have been shut for months on end. While a case pertaining to Lingadheeranahalli is being heard by the National Green Tribunal, there is also opposition by the local communities living near the Subbarayanapalya and Seegehalli plants.
The other plants have been functioning at more than half their installed capacity, data shows.
BBMP Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Sarfaraz Khan told The Hindu that a waste-to-energy plant will be set up at Kannahalli, while a biomethanisation plant is being set up at Doddabidarakallu by private companies. “Till the time both plants are set up and commissioned, we have decided to handover the O&M to the two firms, so that waste processing at these plants does not stop and the burden on the landfill is reduced,” he said.
“Earlier, the payment of the processing fee for the plant management agency was based on compost generated. This caused a delay in payment by more than six months. The agencies incurred losses and O&M was neglected. This was one of the reasons for local communities to oppose the plants,” Mr. Khan explained.
So, this time around, the processing fee will be based on the quantum of waste sent to the processing plants. “The processing fee this way will be cheaper than the processing cost, which is win-win for the civic body,” he added.
Meanwhile, the BBMP is also making efforts to reopen at least two of the three plants that have remained shut. At Subbarayanapalya, civic officials have been instructed to keep the plant ready for operation. A meeting will be held with the local communities, MLA and Minister S.T. Somashekhar and the police soon. At Seegehalli, the waste processing machines are being overhauled.
