Palike will reduce garbage cess for self-composting bulk generators

BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru M ahanagara Palike (BBMP) which will stop collection of wet waste from bulk generators -- residential apartments with 20 units or more and commercial complexes-- has decided to incentivize the scheme of self-composting.
According to a proposal before the BBMP taxation and finance committee, the Palike intends to give partial relief under garbage cess collection for bulk generators, and increase allocation for awareness schemes of how to compost wet waste.Committee chairperson and Jayamahal corporator M K Gunashekar told TOI that the BBMP is seriously considering giving relief under cess collection, but the final decision is to be taken by the Palike council and state government.
"With the policy to stop wet waste collection from bulk generators, to ease pressure on landfills an d bring down operational costs on waste collection, we will propose partial relief under garbage cess collection for these apartments and commercial properties. However, the final call will be taken by the BBMP council and the state government," said Gunashekar.
The committee chairperson said any changes in the taxation policy, if they are to be incorporated in the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act (KMC) of 1976, need ratification and approval from the state government."We will have to first pass the amended Act in the council and then send it to the state government for approval," he said.
At present, the garbage cess is placed at an average of 10% per property, with rates depending on dimension, and the property tax paid to the Palike.
It is said the Palike will discount collection charges of wet waste and ask only bulk generators to pay for the cleaning of drains and collection of dry waste, which need to be disposed of at government landfills. This may effectively amount to 25% to 50% discount on the garbage cess of bulk generators. The Palike said bulk generators can procure cocopeat (base material for vermi composting) which is available at Rs 10-15 per kilo, from the market.
Solid waste management joint commissioner Sarfaraz Khan said the BBMP will provide bulk generators assistance by way of their link workers explaining to citizens where they can procure cocopeat, and the composting process. Gunashekar said the BBMP is already hosting several composting melas across the city, with simple techniques that can be adopted by citizens to compost wet waste.
"We will intensify this awareness campaign ," he said.