Starting October 1, segregate garbage at source or pay penalty, said Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy on Wednesday. Two days after the HC flayed the BBMP for not making segregation at source mandatory, the BBMP said it will make the city garbage free. Addressing a press meet with BBMP commissioner Rajneesh Goel, Mr Murthy said the Karnataka Municipal Council Act of 1976 has a provision to levy only Rs 10 as penalty, but the Municipal Solid Waste Rules of 2001 allows for hefty fines. But BBMP is yet to announce the quantum of penalty.
The BBMP is holding meetings with solid waste management experts to popularise the programme. The BBMP will make use of NGOs and students to give information to households on segregating garbage, Mr Goel said. Bulk waste generators, like marriage halls and hotels, too should segregate garbage at source, he said. The BBMP has drawn up strategies to tackle the garbage crisis. Garbage clearance will be brought under the Sakala scheme. The helpline 080-44554455 will be integrated with Sakala after the government issues a notification to include garbage clearance under the scheme.
Vacant government lands will be identified in all the 198 wards in the city, where segregation and transit plants will be set up. Suggestions from NGOs and Resident Welfare Associations will be considered, and rag-pickers will be roped in to segregate garbage, he said. “Sataram Company has been shortlisted for processing 1,000 tonnes of garbage a day. It will take a little over two years to set up the plant, which will come up on Magadi road,” Mr Goel said.