The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has allowed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to dump garbage at Mavallipura for three more months.
Vaman Acharya, chairperson of the KSPCB told Deccan Herald on Thursday that the unprecedented garbage crisis in the City compelled the Board to reconsider its decision on closing the Mavallipura dumping yard.
“Our permission to open the landfill is valid for only three months. We will consider extending the permission based on the compliance of the Palike with environmental standards.
Besides, we will inspect the dumping yard every week,” Acharya said.
Senior BBMP officials said that the prevailing situation demanded the opening of the Mavallipura dump yard. They said the priority will be to sanitise the landfill and arrest flow of leachate.
“We hope opening Mavallipura for dumping garbage will help us tackle the present crisis,” officials said on the condition of anonymity.
The dumping is expected to resume next week. However, the Gram Panchayat members of Mavallipura said they will present the garbage-laden trucks from entering the dumping yard.
Residents oppose
“The Palike has not fulfilled any of the conditions - to clear the existing garbage and sanitise the area. It has not even contained flow of leachate which can be found in water in our villages. Where is the question of them re-opening the landfill?” said Sreenivas, a gram panchayat member.
The Gram Panchayat has already dispatched a letter to the Pollution Board demanding criminal action against the Palike and Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited for not abiding by the conditions laid down by the Board when it halted operations at the landfill.
The Pollution Board, in its orders on July 12 had asked the Palike to stop sending municipal solid waste to Mavallipura landfill in view of the non-compliance with stipulated conditions.
It had also given three months’ time to Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited to compost the existing garbage without posing any danger to public health and environment.
Scrapping contract
Mayor Venkatesh Murthy said the Palike was considering scrapping its contract with Ramky following allegations of ‘unscientific’garbage disposal by the company.
“We have asked for proposals from two other companies to operate the landfill and will table them before the Palike Council meeting by the end of this month,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Mayor told reporters he expected KSPCB to allow dumping garbage at Mavallipura for six months and an extension for a similar period.