Buckling under intense pressure from contractors, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to scrap its earlier decision to call separate tenders for wet, dry and bulk waste and has instead decided to float just one tender for all types of waste.
However, it has convinced the contractors to introduce a colour-coded system for autos and compactors (tippers) to collect dry, wet and bulk waste. The decision was taken on Tuesday by a high-level BBMP committee headed by Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun and comprising corporators and Joint Commissioner Solid Waste Management set up to review the tender process.
The vehicle (auto, tipper) will be changed for dry, wet and bulk generators. BBMP will also raise awareness among residents with announcements besides training civic workers. “The colour-coded garbage vehicles will have audios explaining the colour codes and guiding residents which vehicle collects what type of waste,” said the mayor.
The BBMP will penalise contractors if they fail to abide by the colour code system. “We have decided to penalise the contractor as he will be responsible for the mess or any violation. We may cancel the tender of a contractor or blacklist him permanently in extreme cases,” said a member of the BBMP.
According to the proceedings of the meeting accessed by DH, the panel “collectively” approved floating one tender for all types of waste.
“There shall be a one tender package per ward comprising wet, dry waste and waste from the bulk generators. The tenders shall be floated subject to a condition that different colour-coded vehicles will collect various types of waste. The vehicles will be marked green (wet), red (dry) and yellow (bulk generators),” the proceedings revealed.
Acknowledging the decision, a top BBMP official said, “The move will end the tussle with the contractors. Had the tenders been floated separately, BBMP officials, too, would have found it tedious to manage three contractors separately at every ward level.”
The mayor refused to comment on the finalisation of the parameters of the tender citing model code of conduct.
The mayor will hold a meeting with the commissioner and committee members on Friday on the tenders. “As the model code of conduct is in place, the decision of the committee will be made public only after May 27,” the mayor replied.