GPS trackers on garbage vehicles soon: BSWML

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Garbage trucks in the city will soon be equipped with GPS trackers. Additionally, pickers and drivers will be inducted into an attendance system, officials from the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) told News Trail on Monday.

This is not the first time the civic authority has looked to implement such a system. Reports from 2022 suggest that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, which is responsible for waste management, didn’t succeed in its attempt to install trackers due to glitches and logistical constraints.

A similar app was designed but experienced numerous hitches. This development comes as the company faces criticism from both pickers and citizens regarding the lack of segregation and poor equipment for pickers and attendees.

Officials at the BSWML admit that segregation at the source is a significant challenge, and addressing this will halve the city's garbage woes.

"We're planning to introduce IEC programmes across all educational institutions in the city to promote segregation. The company also plans to start rewarding wards that segregate their waste. Data on this will be made available to the public on our upcoming website," said a top official.

When asked about the poor equipment provided to garbage pickers, the official emphasised the contractor's responsibility to supply equipment of optimal quality.

"Field engineers are in constant touch with the pickers, and we have received complaints about shoes and gloves being too tight. We are also in constant communication with contractors," he added.

Reportedly, garbage pickers were poorly equipped to collect garbage from the source. Concerns about tight gloves and wrong-sized shoes were brought to the authorities' attention.

Full transfer of manpower within 2 weeks: Sources

As the BBMP entrusts its power of waste collection, segregation and infrastructure to the BSWML, the transfer of officials and responsibilities will take time, sources said. "The officials are preparing internal divisions of power for engineers transferred from the BBMP," added a well-placed source.