KCDC success story

Garbage processing brought down from 150 to 80 tonnes per day

By SINDHU PR

The stench-causing and ground water contaminating Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) run by the BBMP has halted processing waste from areas other than Bommanahalli. That is, if an order by the BBMP Joint Commissioner is being followed by the KCDC officials. This is a major breakthrough for the residents of HSR Layout and its extension areas of Mangammanapalya, Somasundrapalya, Kudlu, Hosapalya and Singasandra as the stench is all around. People have been suffering from throat infections and stench-filled homes for over four years now.

The first citizen-led protest against KCDC was in October 2015 when Residents Watch teamed up with the Kudlu Hosapalya Haralukunte Somasundrapalya, Parangipalya (KHHSP) RWA. More than 1000 residents signed a written petition that proclaimed ‘Shutdown or behave KCDC’. And more than 3000 people turned up at the three-hour protest that was unlike any protest that HSR had ever witnessed. There was a stage where residents came and gave vent to their problems: teachers, students, doctors, politicians and government officials.

Before the protest, the mayor had visited the place and promised to take up the processing capacity from the existing 500 tonnes per day to 1000. After the protest, it was eventually brought down to 150 tonnes. And from last month, it was further brought down to 80 tonnes per day. However, the story is far from over. The refuse-derived waste (RDF) mountain is yet to be removed from the premises. The stench is still bad, particularly when it rains, depending on the wind direction. And since the shutters have not been completely installed to contain the stench, the RDF has been moved outside, increasing the debris on site.

The state government has orally promised to shift the facility once the waste to energy plants are operational, but even those are not being allowed by the local population because they are not a clean alternative either. When asked about the future of KCDC, there was no response from Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner (Health). Says resident S Sankar: “Everyone wants to keep the KCDC issue alive till the elections to score brownie points.”

The best way forward is to get every ward to process its wet, kitchen waste. And residents can buy composters and do it themselves. Only the dry waste will be picked up from people’s homes and recycled by companies like ITC as it is happening today.