Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Tuesday that he wanted to introduce the black soldier fly technique of composting in Bengaluru, where 8,000 metric tonnes of waste are generated daily.
Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru urban development minister, said, “It has been tested in Mangaluru. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned it. The black soldier fly eats waste and makes compost. I have visited other cities in India and studied the technology. I want to introduce it in Bengaluru,” he added.
Black soldier flies are known to break down organic waste and turn it into nutrient-rich “frass” (larval excrement) and insect biomass, effectively creating compost and fertiliser much faster than traditional methods.
Shivakumar also said the Government wanted to revive the solid waste management firm Terra Firma Bio Technologies Limited. “The Government gave permission to Terra, but they flouted the rules and did not do their job properly. It was shut down in 2016, and the Government will take control of it and do it,” he said.
In April, the Cabinet approved a proposal to acquire 38 acres and 18 guntas of land in Doddaballapur taluk to create an integrated solid waste management plant. In order to expand the area, the Cabinet also approved the allotment of 46 acres and three guntas of government land. Twenty-two acres and one guntas of land that was given to Terra Firma Bio Technologies Limited on rent by land owners was also bought by the Government.
Doddaballapur MLA Dheeraj Muniraju opposes plant restart
However, Doddaballapur BJP MLA Dheeraj Muniraju opposed the plan to restart the waste processing plant. He said that 25 lakh metric tonnes of garbage had already been dumped in the area, causing a lot of trouble to the locals. “We will oppose it. The public does not want the plant to be restarted. I would suggest you start it elsewhere. The environmental and other reports have clearly indicated that it has affected the locals,” he said.
For his part, Shivakumar said he understood the pain of the people. “We want to have scientific plants to generate biogas and energy. We are bringing modern technology,” he said. “I want to establish four plants in different corners of Bengaluru and want to do it in Bidadi and Kanakapura also. Where should we put 8,000 metric tonnes of waste generated every day? It will all be done with environmental clearance, and there will be no effect on the people living nearby.”
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Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the Government must declare waste management as an essential service to defeat the garbage mafia. “I have had the experience in the past. When I tried fighting against the garbage mafia, there was enormous pressure on me. The mafia stopped garbage collection, and I had to request them to restart it. If you are ready to bring a law against this garbage mafia, we are ready to support it,” the BJP MLA added.