Bangalore Urban district in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy took Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials to task for not implementing waste management effectively.
At a review meeting held in BBMP office, he warned the officers concerned to face the music if the garbage disposal fails. He gave them a fortnight to show progress in waste management.
The meeting was attended by joint commissioners of eight zones, chief engineers and senior officials from the civic agency.
“While money is going from Palike every month, waste is not going out of the City. In the name of election, Palike officials have ignored their duties towards garbage disposal in the last two months. I have visited Jayanagar, Yelahanka and surrounding areas and saw solid waste management going for a toss. Apart from engineers and BBMP health officials, joint commissioners should also involve themselves and monitor their subordinates’ work,” Reddy said.
“Waste segregation was earlier the work of health department. But later it was transferred to the engineering cell. Both departments should co-ordinate to tackle the garbage crisis,” he added.
At the meeting, Reddy also ordered the Palike health department to keep tabs on traders selling plastic below 40 microns in thickness.
Commissioner M Lakshminarayana said that in each zone, a team would be formed and shops found selling plastics thinner than 40 microns would be shut.
He asked Palike officials to clear clogged stormwater drains before the onset of monsoon. Reddy also inspected the KR Market.
The Yelahanka zone BBMP engineers drew the ire of Ramalinga Reddy for poor garbage disposal. Executive engineer Srinivas Reddy held the garbage contractor firm BVG India responsible for the uncleared waste.
He told the minister that the Palike wanted to remove BVG from garbage management, but the latter has approached the court and got a stay against any coercive action.