Bengaluru to Launch 'Freedom from Waste' Drive From August 1; Illegal Waste Dumping Under Scanner

Bengaluru will launch its month-long 'Freedom from Waste' campaign on August 1 to clear illegally dumped construction and demolition waste. Private plot owners have until August 15 to remove waste, while GPS tracking for C&D waste lorries will become mandatory.

Bengaluru is set to begin a large-scale cleanliness drive aimed at removing construction debris and illegally dumped waste across the city. The month-long 'Freedom from Waste' campaign will be launched on August 1 as part of the 'Just Clean Bengaluru' (JCB) initiative to improve the city's cleanliness and public spaces. Announcing the campaign at a press conference at the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) headquarters on Thursday, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will formally launch the initiative.

According to the minister, years of illegal dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste and other solid waste in public spaces have created unhygienic conditions across the five municipal corporations. Officials have identified around 22,000 tonnes of waste spread across 1,616 locations, and a fleet of 50 vehicles has been deployed to clear the debris during the campaign.

Private Plot Owners Given Deadline Until August 15

The government has directed owners of private vacant plots to remove any illegally dumped waste from their properties by August 15.

If the waste is not cleared by the deadline, the government will undertake the clean-up after August 15. The cost of removing the waste will then be recovered by adding it to the property owner's property tax, Krishna Byre Gowda said.

To assist property owners, the respective municipal corporations will provide a list of authorised private waste removal agencies.

"It is better for property owners to contact these agencies and get the waste cleared before the deadline," the minister said.

Registration and GPS Mandatory for Waste Dumping Lorries

Krishna Byre Gowda said all private lorries transporting and dumping construction waste must now be registered with the authorities.

"It will also be mandatory for these vehicles to be fitted with GPS tracking systems," he said.

The minister clarified that the campaign is specifically aimed at removing construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and not regular household garbage.

"This is not domestic waste. It includes soil, stones and debris generated from construction and demolition activities. This is a large-scale debris removal operation," he said.

He added that one designated dumping site has been identified in each of the city's five municipal corporation limits for the collected debris.

₹760 Fee for Every Tonne of C&D Waste

A dedicated task force will be established to regulate the disposal of construction and demolition waste and prevent illegal dumping.

Krishna Byre Gowda said the collected debris will be transported to designated quarries. The government has also partnered with four private companies for the scientific disposal of future C&D waste.

"Three of these companies are ready to begin operations. From now on, all construction and demolition waste must be disposed of through these authorised agencies," he said.

The government has fixed a disposal charge of ₹760 per tonne of construction and demolition waste.

"Even if the C&D waste is generated from your home, you must use these authorised services for its disposal. The contact details of these agencies will be shared shortly," the minister added.

He expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly improve Bengaluru's cleanliness and help prevent the illegal dumping of construction debris across the city.