Will Mandur villagers get relief by December?

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah went around Mandur village on Saturday with his nose covered, proving that the stench from mountain loads of garbage from Bengaluru that has been dumped near the village for the past decade is unbearable. The state government and BBMP have promised Mandur villagers and Bengalureans that a permanent solution will be found by December for the garbage problem and dumping will be completely stopped near the Mandur landfill.

With almost a month after the promise was made to the villagers and the deadline just four months away, it appears that the government and BBMP are trying hard to find fresh landfills to dump and process 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) of solid waste generated in the city every day.

The BBMP, along with the state revenue department, has identified 12 locations to dump, segregate and process solid waste. Mayor Katte Satyanarayan said, “The BBMP has already made headway the identified lands. We have built the concrete surface, erected compound walls and created buffer zones to ensure the segregation and processing takes off smoothly.

“But I cannot reveal the names of the locations identified as it would trigger protests and resistance from the local residents. This time, we promise to process the waste in a people-friendly manner without affecting the neighbourhood,” he said.

At present, the BBMP is sending waste to Mandur (1,500 MT), Terrafirma (600 MT), Lakshmipura (400 MT), Bingipura (600 MT) and KCDC (600 MT). Organic Waste India Ltd. has started processing waste in Mandur North. That apart, the BBMP has set up 146 Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCC) and the plans are afoot to extend the project to all the 198 wards, said BBMP sources.

“BBMP’s primary focus is to stop dumping garbage in Mandur by December 1. Two plants will be made operational soon. MSGP plant in Doddaballapur will start operating by August end and Nobel Exchange at Kannahalli will be functional by December-end. That apart, Gorur, near Magadi, has been identified to process around 1,000 MT of garbage and the plant will be operated by Sataram Enterprises. Kannalli near Magadi will have a plant to process 500 MT and it will be operated by Nobel Exchange. A second plant in Kannalli will be operated by Essel Infra Projects and will process 600 MT,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

In some wards, bio-methanisation plants and waste processing units have been set up that have helped the BBMP in solving the garbage problem to an extent. Meanwhile, the BBMP plans to decentralise waste processing units. To begin with, they will be operated zone wise. Later, they will be extended to cover assembly constituencies, as per the directions of the high court, the official said.

Present garbage dumps

• Mandur - 2,000 MT
• Terrafirma - 600 MT
• Lakshmipura - 400 MT
• Bingipura - 600 MT
• KCDC  - 600 MT      

Proposed projects                 

• Gorur, Magadi, Sataram Enterprises (company) -  1,000 MT
• Kannalli, Magadi, Nobel Exchange (Hotel Exchange) -  500 MT
• Chigaranahalli, Doddaballapur MSPG Infratech Ltd.  -  500 MT
• Kannalli, Magadi Essel Infraprojects -  600 MT