Bengaluru spends the highest on solid waste management (SWM) as compared to other major cities like Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi due to the garbage contractor cartel in the BBMP. Some officials are hand in glove with contractors to scuttle modern technology being implemented to manage garbage crisis, alleged corporators cutting across party line on Saturday. On the second day of a special meeting to discuss on SWM by-laws, corporators criticised the BBMP officials for floating tenders by keeping corporators in the dark.
Yediyur corporator N.R. Ramesh said the city spends nearly Rs 500 crore per annum for SWM as against Rs 190 crore to Rs 210 crore in other cities with higher populations, like Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai. They also manage municipal waste better. “Unfortunately, the BBMP has given in to the garbage cartel. The mafia is being controlled by ‘Alibaba and 40 thieves’” he said, pointing at one of the city MLAs and about 40 garbage contractors. “A major portion of property tax collected from Benglaureans is being paid to garbage contractors. This can be curbed only by breaking this mafia. Officials who are on the payrolls of contractors are scuttling new projects that help process garbage scientifically and reduce the financial burden on the BBMP,” he said.
Former deputy mayor S. Harish said that officials are targeting some contractors and rejecting their proposals on the grounds of presenting a ‘single tender’, when there is no provision in the BBMP Act to cancel single tenders. “Hanjira Biotech Company had come here a long time ago to implement their project. They have put up a plant in Salem and it is working well. They promised to invest Rs 300 crore to process waste two years ago. Instead of entering an MoU with them, the officials discouraged them by floating tenders. Again, the company was rejected for presenting a single tender,” he said.