How civic agency-contractor tussle cripples Bengaluru’s waste collection

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According to official data, staff attendance has fluctuated between 60% and 90%, leading to irregular waste collection in some parts of the city. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

Amid mounting garbage woes in the city, the ineffective collection and management system appears to be fuelled by a tussle between the civic agency and garbage collection contractors.

“One of the primary reasons for the garbage issue is the delay in finalising and issuing garbage collection tenders for nearly a decade,” said Clement Jayakumar, a member of the Mahadevapura Task Force, a civic group.

While contractors consistently point to irregularities in the tenders and corruption, the civic agency points to a deeper “mafia” and collusion among existing contractors in creating problems with the tendering process.

As a result, multiple issues such as a shortage of tippers and staff, irregular availability of personnel, delays in salary payments, and vehicle breakdowns have emerged, leading to the collapse of the city’s garbage collection system.

The primary issue is payment. Typically, civic bodies in the city make monthly payments to BSWML, which in turn pays contractors once they raise their bills. A contractor managing waste collection in east Bengaluru said that BSWML makes delayed payments and has left them unpaid for months. “For a few months, we can manage paying the workers, but if the issue persists, where do we bring the money from to keep paying the staff?” the contractor questioned.

However, Karee Gowda, Chief Executive Officer of BSWML, told The Hindu that the payments being held back relate to contractors who have not raised their bills. To support his claim, Mr. Gowda showed notices sent to contractors urging them to submit their bills so that payments can be completed.

According to Mr. Gowda, contractors must make Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) and Provident Fund (PF) payments for waste collection staff; otherwise, BSWML cannot release payments to them.

“Several contractors do not