Suvarna Khata & New BMP Tenders for Solid Waste Management of BMP on Saturday, 7th October 2006

The event:

CIVIC Bangalore & Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) jointly organised an interactive session with representatives from RWA’s, NGO’s and CBO’s on “Suvarna Khata” & “New BMP Tenders for Solid Waste Management” of BMP on 7th Saturday 2006 at Town Hall, JC Road, Bangalore from 1430 to 1730. Invitation for the programme is enclosed as Annexure 1.

Background:

Getting a Khata from BMP’s revenue division is a herculean task. It requires an applicant to visit the concerned authorities not less than dozen times, wasting time, bribe to keep the file moving, running from pillar to post to track the file, etc. This would take not less than a month and in cases more than six months. Responding to the situation BMP has designed ‘Suvarna Khata’, a single window certifying scheme that simplifies the process and gets rid off all the nuisances. It is slated to come up by the end of the month.

Garbage is a universal problem. It is more so in Bangalore with the population density going north all the time. BMP has put in place an arrangement to collect garbage collected at Ward levels by contracting the work. The contract stands for 3 years and tender is called again to renew the process. Hence the ‘New BMP Tenders for Solid Waste Management’. The concern was that while drafting the tender no CBOs, NGOs, citizens’ forums, or citizens were consulted. No feedback on the earlier modus operandi was asked to incorporate into the new tender. The event provided a platform for the concerned Health ward officials and citizens to interact.

Objectives of the programme:

- Presenting the topics for discussion by concerned BMP Deputy Commissioners (Health and Revenue)
- Facilitating interaction with the citizen, RWA representatives, CBO representatives, NGO representatives.
- Facilitating collection of views and feedback for BMP to assimilate and inculcate the feedback in its operation of the two schemes mentioned

Participants:

- Mr. K. Jairaj, BMP Commissioner
- Mr. Gaurav Gupta – Special Commissioner (BMP)
- Ms. Usha Devi, DC (Revenue)
- Mr. Manu Baligar, DC (Health)
- Dr. Vijayalakshmi – Chief Health Officer
- Dr. Nagaraj – Health officer (South zone)
- Officials from BMP Health wards
- Suchimitras of BMP
- Members from 45 RWAs/NGOs/CBOs (List enclosed as Annexure 3).
- CIVIC EC members and staff

Interactions and feedback:

Programme schedule is enclosed as Annexure 2.

Mr. Jairaj outlined the topics paving the way for concerned DCs to present.

Mr. Manu Baligar featured the status of health wards of Bangalore in figures:

- 182 health wards
- 10,090 Poura Karmikas (PKs)
- Salary of PKs enhanced in the present tender to Rs.3,200 from Rs.1,800
- 3 zones (6 wards) provided with one compactor each costing Rs.28 lacs.
- Night package provided to notified areas
- Mechanical sweeper package for two roads (Mysore Road-Silk Board and Airport-Mekhri Circle)

Feedback on the subject:

- Views of CIVIC Bangalore were put forth by Ms. Kathyayini.
o No public consultation before drawing the tender
o The garbage contractor is not held under Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 in the tender.
o The Implementation Guidelines are not part of the contract.
o There are no norms fixed for the number of employees who should be employed for covering a certain length of road, the number of vehicles, auto-tippers, push carts, etc. to be deployed.
o There are no norms for the equipment that needs to be supplied – what quantity of drums, phenyle, brooms, gloves, etc. should be supplied at what frequency, etc.
o There are no stipulations about how garbage should be collected from slums.
o There is no stipulation that manual handling of garbage should be avoided; that all garbage should be bagged; what should be the procedure and mechanism for transfer of garbage from push-cart to lorry; that garbage should not be dumped on the road at the point of transfer, etc.,
o There is no stipulation that apartment owners should segregate and collect their garbage in common bins placed in the basement of their complex.
o There are no guidelines on collection of garbage from hotels, choultries, and nursing homes in the area.
o There is no requirement that space will be earmarked and provided to the contractor for the sorting of recyclables and collection by recyclers.
o RWAs have not been given any role in the monitoring process. Only individual suchi mitras are to be on the monitoring committees.
o The relevant extracts of the Minimum Wages Act, Contract Labour Act, Workmen’s Compensation Act, etc. should be made a part of the contract so that even the public knows what the requirements are regarding wages, provision of crèches, rest-rooms for workers, toilets, drinking water, leave, etc.

- A number of participants expressed their opinions. Views captured:
o This interactive session is held too late.
o Invitation reached in the morning of the event. Inform well in advance.
o For evening package lorries are needed to carry the waste.
o In an event like marriage/cultural event the waste produced is thrown everywhere. Needs to be monitored.
o Though BMP has mosquito fumigators it is never put into service.
o Bell to be installed in pushcarts which could be distinctly heard.
o Provide health equipments to PKs
o Provide health book for PKs
o Replace ball bearing wheels of pushcarts with pneumatic wheels
o Define waste in clear terms
o Drains around parks are not connected to main drains
o Replace lawns in parks which breeds mosquito with shrubs
o Vacant sites becoming dumping grounds. Fine the owners.
o Appreciate work of PKs. Recognize their demands.
o Use plastic waste in construction
o Commercial waste – put a monitoring system in place
o Use media to spread awareness
o Fine residents who throw waste onto public space
o Avoid spilling while transferring waste from carts to lorries
o Allot a definite space to park pushcarts
o Plan on paper looks great. Put in place a process to monitor the garbage collection.

Recognizing the work of PKs Mr. Jairaj proposed that RWAs provide a cup of tea and biscuits to them while they work. The proposal was unanimously agreed and will be followed from next month

Mr. Manu Baligar responded assuring that the feedback will be considered and adopted.

Mr. Gaurav Gupta expressed his views:
- Managing 2200 MTs of waste is complex.
- 660 Pickup autos, 80 foggers, 300 spraying machines are put into service
- Two villages are identified: Mandur and Mavallipura as landfill sites. Villagers have objected to transfer of city waste to their territory. BMP is getting the process cleared.

Ms. Usha Devi tabled ‘Suvarna Khata’ to the audience:
- City shall have 30 zones where a single window system to clear the Khata will exist
- A regular Khata of KHB or BDA will be cleared in 7 days
- Others like wills and gift deeds will be cleared in 30 days.
- Applications can be availed from Citizens’ Centers or AROs
- Application will have fee forms, annexures with details and feedback forms
- Will be implemented by this month end

Conclusion:

- Generally the effort was appreciated by all.
- Session needed more time. Press for more time with officials.
- Invitations to reach participants well in advance. Use emails/posts/couriers with acknowledgement.
- Constant follow up with officers for better planning and avoiding eleventh hour adjustments
- Not to allow officials to run the show.
- Feedback to be conveyed to BMP officially by CIVIC Bangalore
- Thanking letter to be emailed to participants and officials

Attachments:

Annexure 1: Invitation
Annexure 2: Programme Schedule
Annexure 3: List of participants
Annexure 4: Snapshots of the event