BBMP chief seeks proposal for low cost DWCCs

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Siddaiah asked all councillors of the civic body not to propose Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) that cost over Rs 10 lakh. He issued a circular to this effect recently after many councillors started submitting estimates at a cost of even Rs 50 lakh. It may be recalled that Siddaiah committed to setting up DWCCs in all the 198 wards within the next three months. Around 60 DWCCs have been set up, while more are in the pipeline. There are several councillors who are submitting inflated estimates. A few of them gave a proposal for a DWCC to be set up at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, Siddaiah said. It is learnt that by issuing the circular capping the maximum expenditure, the BBMP would be able to save around Rs 20 crore. Waste management expert NS Ramakanth said that the Solid Waste Management Round Table had established a model DWCC at Freedom Park at Rs 10 lakh. The civic body proposes a simple design for the DWCC without the need for an elaborate structure. There should be a concrete platform for the secondary segregation of the dry waste. This is where the rag pickers will sift through the dry waste and segregate it further into plastics, glass and other categories, reports suggest.