BBMP taken to task by NGT over poor SWM

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials for poor management of waste in the city, despite repeated timelines and assistance. 

At a review meeting, where Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) officials too were present, NGT Committee Chairman, Justice Subhash B Adi, directed the BBMP to immediately stop dumping mixed waste into landfills and ensure proper segregation, reports The New Indian Express.

“Wherever BBMP intends to dispose of rejects into landfills, jurisdictional regional officers of KSPCB will inspect the waste and after it is confirmed that it contains only rejects and no mixed waste can it be dumped at landfills. The BBMP should take immediate action to install leachate treatment plants at all waste-processing plants and landfills and an action plan should be submitted within 30 days.

As the waste segregation percentage is very poor, the BBMP should achieve 100 per cent segregation ward wise by March 31 and must submit an action plan within 10 days. The Palike must take immediate action for bio-mining of legacy waste at waste-processing sites as per CPCB guidelines and complete it within March 31. An action plan should be submitted within 15 days,” said the order.

He pointed out that even after five years of passage of the SWM rules, they are yet to be implemented in Bengaluru, which is a violation, he pointed out.