Bengaluru: GBA plans mandating GPS for debris transport vehicles to tackle illegal dumping
As the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) gears up to launch the Just Clean Bengaluru (JCB) initiative, part of the Freedom from Waste campaign to remove
As the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) gears up to launch the Just Clean Bengaluru (JCB) initiative, part of the Freedom from Waste campaign to remove inert debris from the streets, it will also introduce a new system to monitor vehicles transporting silt and construction waste. On Thursday, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda pointed out that even if the GBA clears all the debris from the streets, it will reappear, as the root cause of the problem lies in the absence of a system to monitor debris dumping. The GBA has now proposed making it mandatory for all vehicles transporting debris and silt to register with the authority and install GPS devices. He also said the matter would be discussed with the Traffic Police and the Transport Department.
“We already have four empanelled vendors to whom construction and demolition (C&D) debris must be handed over, at a cost of ₹760 per tonne,” he said. In addition, he has already instructed the police to book vehicles found dumping waste on the streets. Month-long campaign Gowda said the Freedom from Waste campaign will begin on August 1 and continue for a month. During the drive, the focus will be exclusively on legacy waste, including mud, C&D waste, discarded pipes, electricity poles, stones, weeds, and similar bulky material that has accumulated along roadsides, footpaths, public places, and vacant sites. “Blackspots created by household waste will be taken up in a subsequent phase, and not during this drive,” Mr. Gowda clarified.
He added that a large number of vacant sites across the city have accumulated soil, waste, and overgrown vegetation, causing considerable inconvenience to citizens. The government has received hundreds of complaints from citizens regarding such sites. Owners of vacant sites where waste has accumulated must clear it by August 15. Failing this, the GBA will undertake the cleaning itself, and the cost will be added to the property tax. He noted that the amount may also attract interest. West has highest debris According to GBA data, nearly 22,732 tonnes of debris have been identified within GBA limits. Mr. Gowda, however, said the total quantity of debris is likely to be well over one lakh tonnes, based on his estimate.
The data show that Bengaluru West City Corporation has the highest number of debris locations, with 420 sites containing 7,958 tonnes of debris. It is followed by Bengaluru East City Corporation, with 228 locations and 6,950 tonnes of debris; Bengaluru North City Corporation, with 319 locations and 3,714 tonnes; Bengaluru South City Corporation, with 334 locations and 2,605 tonnes; and Central City Corporation, with 315 locations containing 1,505 tonnes. K.R. Puram constituency alone has accumulated a whopping 6,282 tonnes of debris, followed by Rajarajeshwari Nagar with 2,943 tonnes. A GBA source said that most of these locations are on the fringes of the city.
The BriefWire