Bengaluru: Within days of taking charge, Mayor Padmavathi on Saturday announced big revival plans for solid waste management in the city. Addressing her first press conference, Ms Padmvathi said that the BBMP has adopted micro-planning to collect, transport and dispose of garbage in the city. Accordingly, the Palike has identified blocks across the 198 wards for effective disposal of garbage.
She said, “Every 750 houses in a ward will be categorised as one block and pourakarmikas will be assigned to collect garbage from each of these blocks. This way, it is easier to identify who is following the rules and who is not. Also, resident welfare association members of every area will be roped in to monitor that garbage segregation at source is done efficiently.”
Meanwhile, the BBMP has also upgraded its machinery to dispose of garbage and has added 16 new vehicles to its fleet.
Hefty penalty on violators
If you have still not fallen in line and segregating garbage at source, be ready to cough up exorbitant fines from this month. Ms Padmavathi said hefty fines will be levied on those who are not segregating garbage at source. “We have held a meeting with the state government and will soon impose hefty penalties on those who are not segregating waste at source,” she said.
She stressed that though many various rules have been implemented against violators, there was no progress as desired. “We have even registered FIRs against those violating solid waste management rules. During former special commissioner Subodh Yadav’s term, 12 people were booked. Despite all the efforts, there is no positive response. We have realised that when citizens are made to pay hefty fines, they will follow the rules automatically,” she said.
Meanwhile, she said that to boost the pourakarmikas’ morale, free food will be provided to all of them. “It is important to take them into confidence as the city’s cleanliness depends upon their interest in work. We have decided to provide them free food, which will be served at 11 am in all the eight zones,” she said.
