Mandatory segregation seems to be finally paying off as core city zones that have traditionally been lagging behind in segregation seem to be catching up with outer zones that have been in the forefront segregating waste at home.
At the start of the year, East, West and South zones, that make up a majority of 132 of the 198 wards in the city, had below average segregation levels. But, in just two weeks from February 1 - from when segregation was made mandatory across the city - neighbourhoods such as Jayanagar, BTM Layout, Madiwala, JP Nagar, Koramangala, Shivajinagar, and other wards in South and West zones have doubled. South zone, whose segregation levels was pegged at 20.25% on February 1, has improved to 45.3% on February 15, while West zone improved from 15.11% to 33.5%.
East zone, however, with a negligible improvement, is yet to pull up its socks, data with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangar Palike (BBMP) shows. It saw 32.18% segregation at the dawn of the month and is now at 33.2%.
Palangappa, Joint Commissioner (West zone), said that a host of factors, including strict instructions to pourakarmikas to collect dry waste only twice a week did the trick. He added that while the middle-class areas were fast taking up segregation at source, it was the 77 slum pockets in Malleswaram, Rajajinagar and other wards in his zone that posed a challenge. He hoped that the soon-to-be-implemented micro plans with one auto collecting waste from a block of every 700 households will increase segregation levels.
According to N.S. Ramakanth, member, SWM Expert Committee, the colour coded sticker system that marked out houses that were not segregating waste and penalising them was being implemented efficiently. “It is great that the core zones have also started segregating at the source. The programme however successful in outer zones fails to acquire a critical momentum since the bulk of the waste is generated in the core city,” he said.
Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, said that they are already focusing on slum pockets to ensure segregation at source and added that strict instructions have been given to penalise any contractor collecting mixed waste.
At the start of the year, East, West and South zones, that make up a majority of 132 of the 198 wards in the city, had below average segregation levels. But, in just two weeks from February 1 - from when segregation was made mandatory across the city - neighbourhoods such as Jayanagar, BTM Layout, Madiwala, JP Nagar, Koramangala, Shivajinagar, and other wards in South and West zones have doubled. South zone, whose segregation levels was pegged at 20.25% on February 1, has improved to 45.3% on February 15, while West zone improved from 15.11% to 33.5%.
East zone, however, with a negligible improvement, is yet to pull up its socks, data with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangar Palike (BBMP) shows. It saw 32.18% segregation at the dawn of the month and is now at 33.2%.
Palangappa, Joint Commissioner (West zone), said that a host of factors, including strict instructions to pourakarmikas to collect dry waste only twice a week did the trick. He added that while the middle-class areas were fast taking up segregation at source, it was the 77 slum pockets in Malleswaram, Rajajinagar and other wards in his zone that posed a challenge. He hoped that the soon-to-be-implemented micro plans with one auto collecting waste from a block of every 700 households will increase segregation levels.
According to N.S. Ramakanth, member, SWM Expert Committee, the colour coded sticker system that marked out houses that were not segregating waste and penalising them was being implemented efficiently. “It is great that the core zones have also started segregating at the source. The programme however successful in outer zones fails to acquire a critical momentum since the bulk of the waste is generated in the core city,” he said.
Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, said that they are already focusing on slum pockets to ensure segregation at source and added that strict instructions have been given to penalise any contractor collecting mixed waste.