The Karnataka Compost Development Corporation plans to build a Rs 2-crore wall to stop the stench from the wet waste composting plant
The Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC), which receives about 120 tonnes of waste per day, has come up with a new proposal to address complaints of the stench emanating from the plant.
This time, it wants to increase the height of the compound wall by erecting metal sheets.
The solution, which the residents have termed as laughable, is estimated to cost not less than Rs 2 crore.
A proposal put forth by the KCDC states.
“As KCDC is receiving continuous complaints from the surrounding residents, it is proposed to install PEB sheets with adequate height on the compound wall on North and East side of KCDC plant,” It runs a wet waste composting plant in Kudlu near HSR Layout.
In January 2021, Bangalore Mirror had reported on this issue when the bio-filters installed at the plant in 2016, at a cost of Rs 4 crore had stopped working the previous year.
S Mahadeviah, Chairman, KCDC, had said that they had contacted a Kerala-based manufacturer of bio-filters via video conference and they would repair the filters.
He had said that the residents would have to endure the stench for a month.
But now, six months later, there is no change in the situation.
Mahadevaiah had said that the authorities had failed to ensure a buffer zone around the plant and buildings had come up close to it.
(function()palm/i.test(navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase()));
if(mobile){
var div = document.getElementsByClassName(vidads)[0].childNodes[0];
div.setAttribute(“data-slot”,”323283″)
var idattr = div.getAttribute(“id”).replace(“323272″,”323283”)
div.setAttribute(“id”,idattr);
}
)();
~name~~brandtext~
var hideAds = function($containerElem){
if($containerElem && $containerElem.length != 0){
$($containerElem[0].parentNode.parentNode).hide();
}
Their proposal to raise the height of the compound wall comes at a time when a large number of residents are up against the plant, which releases “unbearable and highly toxic stench” affecting around 50,000 residents living in areas such as Kudlu, Hosapalya, HSR Layout, Somasundara Palya and Parangipalya among others.
They have been demanding its closure, citing the plant is not running as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) and has turned out to be a source of air and groundwater pollution.
.
“It’s laughable that the KCDC is planning to invest money on raising the height of the compound wall,” said Kamesh Rastogi, a member of Kudlu, Harlur, Harlakunte, Somasunderpalya, Parangipalya Residents’ Welfare Association.
In January he had told Bangalore Mirror that the bio-filters had been defunct for 15 months and not six as stated by the KCDC chairman.
“Even as I am speaking to you, I can get the stench.
The plant has been running since 1976.
The government should shut it down and allow nature to recover itself from the pollution caused by the plant.
All other composting plants that were built during those times have been shut,” he said.
Kavitha Reddy, a resident of HSR Layout, wondered how the compound wall would help in reducing the stench.
“It looks like the KCDC wants to hide all its activities.
HSR needs urgent air transplantThe residents say that they have tried convincing the authorities to help them but, aside from promises made before an election, nothing has been done yet.
There were days when the plant received wet waste that touched the roof.
Even loads of excess refuse-derived fuel (RDF) is kept idle in the plant as it is not cleared on time,” she said.
Reddy also said that the KCDC had earlier spent Rs 3 crore on installing bio-filters to solve the problem of stench but it has failed to solve the issue.
Officials admitted that increasing the compound wall height was not necessary.
“The proposal came from the chairman,” a senior officer attached to BBMP’s Bommanahalli zone said.
“We have planted over 1,800 saplings in and around the plant to solve the issue of stench.
The chairman suggested installing metal sheets on the eastern side.
It is not necessary,” he said.
He said the plant is spread over about 4 acres in the 11-acre premises.
The plant has been running since 1976.
The government should shut it down to allow nature to recover from the pollution caused by the plant.
All other composting plants that were built during those times have been shut— Kamesh Rastogi, an RWA member
“Instead of building a wall, the KCDC can instead spend the money on installing an odour measurement device in the direction of the wind.
This will help to record the emissions.
This is key to understanding what solutions can be provided to control the stench,” said Deepu Chandran, who is fighting for the closure of a similar plant in Chikanagamangala plant in Electronic City.
He also mentioned that the BBMP’s larger goal should be phasing out large processing and composting plants and moving towards decentralised plants.
Merge KCDC with new solid waste company
Solid Waste Management experts have been stating that the KCDC should be merged with the newly-formed Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Company, whose responsibility includes composting of wet waste.
They point out that the government could cut down on administrative costs of the KCDC with the merger.Currently, the KCDC’s annual expenditure is around Rs 6 crore.
The corporation earns a revenue of Rs 80 to 90 lakh per year by selling compost to farmers.
