Rag pickers, SHGs seek priority in Bengaluru dry waste centre tenders; BSWML mulls reservation

BENGALURU: As Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) gears up to invite tenders for the management of Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCC) in Bengaluru, rag pickers and Self Help Groups (SHGs) have sought priority in the bidding process. They say they cannot compete with contractors in bidding, so they should have some reservation. Bengaluru had 198 DWCCs, tallying with the 198 wards in erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. Of these, some were closed down for multiple reasons, and the city has around 120 DWCCs for which BSWML is inviting tenders. Co-founder of Hasiru Dala Nalini Shekar, who has been working with waste pickers and SHGs and hand-holding them until they can work independently, said, Bengaluru got its first DWCC in 2011, and slowly, the numbers added up in the coming years. DWCCs were set up and rag pickers were included in their operations. As of now, the city has over 120 DWCCs with some in a dilapidated condition. While BSWML is gearing up to call for tenders for the management of DWCCs, we have requested them to give priority to rag pickers and SHGs. Rag pickers have the first right on dry waste and there are hundreds of families depending on DWCCs, said Nalini. Solid Waste Management expert and activist V Ramprasad said, Rag pickers who have been identified by the government and have a proven track record of handling DWCC must be given priority in handling the centres. Even if contractors bag the tenders, they must have a clause to engage at least eight rag pickers in the DWCCs. He insisted that BSWML monitor the performance of DWCCs. Bengaluru generates 6,500 tonnes of waste per day. Of this, around 55-60 per cent is wet waste, 30-35 per cent is dry waste, and the rest is medical and other waste. BSWML should track what is happening to over 2,000 tonnes of dry waste collected to ensure it is scientifically processed, Ramprasad said. A top BSWML official said they have received requests from rag pickers and SHGs and are contemplating inviting tenders by providing reservation to them.