Bengaluru's garbage mafia controls waste collection, says Dy CM DK Shivakumar

DL Shivakumar explained that waste collection was divided into 89 packages over the years, making it difficult to streamline operations

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar admitted in the Legislative Council on Friday that a powerful mafia dictates garbage collection in the city. He assured that the government is working on a long-term solution to tackle the issue.

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar.(HT_PRINT)

Shivakumar, who also oversees Bengaluru’s development, said a detailed plan would be presented in the Council on Monday, Deccan Herald reported. He explained that waste collection was divided into 89 packages over the years, making it difficult to streamline operations. The issue is also under the Karnataka High Court’s scrutiny, and the government is waiting for its directions.

To ease the burden on Bengaluru, he proposed setting up large dump yards at least 100 km away from the city. “I’m ready to acquire 100-acre land parcels, whether in Kolar or any other suitable place,” he said according to the publication, urging MLAs to identify land in their constituencies.

Two sites shortlisted

He added that two sites, each covering 100 acres, have already been shortlisted—one near NICE Road and another close to Doddaballapur, the report added. Acknowledging past failures in setting up landfills, he admitted that previous governments, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s, struggled to convince residents to accept waste disposal sites.

Shivakumar also pointed out that waste-to-energy plants have not been successful in other parts of the country. Instead, he suggested that gas manufacturing plants could be a better way to manage waste.

Despite the challenges, he vowed to break the stronghold of the garbage mafia and implement a sustainable waste management system for Bengaluru.