Bengaluru vacant plot cleanup: 80% owners yet to comply, notices soon

Bengaluru's deadline for clearing vacant plots within the Greater Bengaluru Authority's jurisdiction ends on Saturday, with Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda reporting that only 20% of owners have fulfilled their obligations. During a virtual review meeting on Monday, Gowda emphasized that leaving the cleanup to chance is unacceptable and proposed recovering the costs of cleaning through property tax where civic bodies must perform the work.

Revenue officials have been instructed to compile a list of vacant plots needing attention, to be followed by notices to owners issued by marshals and junior health inspectors, after which the relevant civic bodies should proceed with cleaning if required. All five GBA corporations are set to commence the cleanup drive from Thursday, with intensified efforts starting the following Monday.

The civic bodies are tasked with preparing for the cleanup, including procuring necessary equipment like JCBs, tippers, tractors, and manpower. Gowda also stressed the importance of documenting the process, requiring the creation of before-and-after video footage with geo-tagging for each cleaned vacant plot. The waste and debris collected during the cleanup must be disposed of at designated sites only.

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited has been tasked with ensuring the entire process from identification to disposal is recorded on the 'Clear It' software. The 'Freedom from Waste' campaign originally set a deadline of August 15 for the cleanup, which was subsequently extended to August 22.