Pramesh S Jain
*New waste collection system to deploy 3-tonne GPS-enabled vehicles; daily handling capacity to be raised from 5,200 MT to 9,000 MT.
*33 waste-management packages formulated; work on 21 packages to begin within 2 months.
*Local representatives urged to monitor garbage clearance, abandoned vehicles and civic works.
Civic workers who routinely fail to report for duty will face dismissal from service, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Friday, warning that absenteeism would not be tolerated as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) puts in place a new system of urban governance and service delivery.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with MPs,MLAs and MLCs on development and civic issues under the GBA at Vidhana Soudha, the Minister said around 30 per cent of civic workers deployed at various locations were not reporting for duty regularly.
“Three notices will be issued to civic workers who fail to attend duty regularly.If they do not respond to the notices,action will be initiated to dismiss them from service as per the rules,he said,adding that officials had been instructed accordingly.
Byre Gowda said door-to-door garbage collection was the primary responsibility of civic workers,and failure to collect waste from households was directly contributing to garbage accumulating on roads and the emergence of new garbage black spots.
“If 30 per cent of civic workers do not report for work every day, how can we keep the city clean?”he asked, expressing displeasure over the situation.
The Minister said the GBA was currently working on structured standard operating procedures and systems required for the newly established authority, with a focus on improving accountability and civic service delivery.
New waste collection system with 3-tonne GPS-enabled vehicles:
The GBA is also preparing a major overhaul of the city’s solid waste collection system, with 33 packages formulated for waste-management services.
Of these,21 packages have already received approval, and the process of issuing work orders to contractors is under way. Contractors have been directed to commence operations within the next two months, Byre Gowda said.
Under the new system,the existing auto-tippers, which have a capacity of around one tonne, will be replaced with vehicles capable of carrying three tonnes of waste.
GPS tracking will be mandatory for all vehicles. Each vehicle will be assigned a designated route and will be required to travel its prescribed route every day to ensure systematic and accountable waste collection.
The Minister said the city currently had the capacity to collect around 5,200 metric tonnes of waste a day. Under the new tendering system, this capacity will be increased to approximately 9,000 metric tonnes per day, including collection and transportation.
“The system is being designed to ensure that whatever quantity of waste is generated by citizens is properly collected and transported for disposal,”he said.
A special public awareness campaign will also be undertaken to encourage citizens to follow the new waste-disposal system.
No more roadside garbage bins:
Byre Gowda said the practice of dumping waste on roads or placing garbage bins along roadsides would be phased out.
“Every household will have a waste collection vehicle coming to its doorstep.Citizens must hand over their waste to the collection vehicle and must not dump it on the roadside,”he said.
For households that are unable to hand over waste at the designated collection time, citizens can hang a waste bag on their compound wall or grille.Collection staff will pick it up from there, while the containers will be kept at the same location, he said.
The Minister appealed to citizens to cooperate with the new system and ensure that waste was not dumped in public spaces.
Action to clear abandoned vehicles:
The GBA has engaged contractors to remove abandoned and unused vehicles from public spaces.
Byre Gowda urged elected representatives to actively monitor the removal process in their respective areas and bring any problems to the attention of officials.
He also asked local representatives to assist in monitoring the clearance of accumulated waste and the cleaning of private vacant sites,particularly where such sites have become sources of garbage and unhygienic conditions.
Elected representatives flag civic and infrastructure concerns:
During the meeting, MPs,MLAs and MLCs raised a wide range of issues concerning civic infrastructure,public services and development across Bengaluru.
Among the key suggestions and concerns raised were:
*Single-house beneficiaries: Resolve problems relating to non-disbursement of funds to eligible beneficiaries of individual houses and rectify software-related glitches so that payments are credited to beneficiaries’ accounts without delay.
*Footpath encroachments: Provide alternative arrangements for street vendors before undertaking eviction drives against encroachments on footpaths.
*Pulakeshinagar: Give priority to road and infrastructure development in the densely populated constituency.
*Civic schools: Improve basic infrastructure in municipal schools and take measures to increase student enrolment.
*Drone property survey: Rectify errors being detected in the ongoing drone-based property survey.
*Street lighting: Install quality streetlights across the city and ensure their regular maintenance.
*Parks: Improve the maintenance of parks and give the issue special attention.
*Civic workforce: Fill vacancies created by the retirement of civic workers by appointing new personnel.
*Banashankari Metro skywalk: Expedite construction of the proposed skywalk near the Banashankari Metro station.
*Pothole expenditure: Issue a white paper detailing the expenditure incurred on filling potholes across the city.
*Road restoration: Ensure that roads dug up by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board for various works are properly restored after completion of the utility work.
*Cauvery water supply: Ensure efficient and uninterrupted management of Cauvery water supply across the city.
*Illegal flexes and posters: Take effective measures to curb the growing proliferation of flex banners and posters in public spaces.
*Metro-related road damage: Expedite Metro construction while immediately repairing roads damaged in areas where Metro works are under way.
*Jalahalli Cross: Take up and expedite construction of the proposed underpass at Jalahalli Cross.
*Transformers: Relocate transformers installed at unsuitable or scientifically inappropriate locations to safer and more appropriate sites.
*Public grievance access: Introduce a system to schedule designated hours for citizens to meet government and civic officials.
*Rainwater management: Take measures to prevent waterlogging on roads, including creating rainwater recharge pits and other appropriate infrastructure.
*Stray dog menace: Take effective measures to address the increasing incidence of stray dogs and dog-bite cases.
*Basement commercial activity: Take action against commercial activities being carried out illegally in building basements.
*RR Nagar Arch: Expedite completion of the partially stalled flyover project near the RR Nagar Arch.
MPs,MLAs and officials attend:
The meeting was attended by MPs,Dr C.N.Manjunath and Tejasvi Surya;MLAs K.Gopalaiah,Dinesh Gundu Rao, Munirathna,Uday B.Garudachar,S.R.Vishwanath,M. Krishnappa,B.A.Basavaraju,A.C.Srinivas,Manjula and Muniraju;Rajya Sabha MP Mansoor Ali Khan;and Legislative Council members K.Govindaraju,Ramoji Gowda,Gopinath Reddy,Nagaraj Yadav and Sudham Das.
Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao,Special Commissioners,Muneesh Moudgil and Nitesh,BWSSB Chairperson,Manjula, municipal commissioner Ramesh D.S., Pommala Sunil Kumar, Ramesh K.N.and Dr Rajendra K.V., along with additional commissioners,chief engineers, executive engineers and other senior officials, were also present.
