Bengaluru: Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has put out the rates the five city corporations will charge for cleaning vacant sites in the city after Aug 15, in case their owners fail to get the properties cleaned themselves. The charges will be added to the property tax.The cost of cleaning and transporting waste from a 40×60 sqft vacant site will exceed Rs 1 lakh, and larger sites will attract proportionately higher charges.For a 20×30 sqft site with a compound, the cleaning charge is Rs 7,700, and the charge for transportation is Rs 19,200. For a 30×40 sqft site, the charges are Rs 14,400 and Rs 38,400, respectively. A 30×50 sqft site will attract Rs 17,750 for cleaning and Rs 48,000 for transportation, while a 40×60 sqft site will cost Rs 27,800 for cleaning and Rs 76,800 for transportation. The cleaning charge will be Rs 1,000 less for sites without a compound.For large sites, the expenditure will be recovered proportionately based on the area.The move is part of the ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign being observed across Bengaluru in Aug. Under the Solid Waste Management By-laws 2020, owners are responsible for maintaining vacant sites in a clean and hygienic condition.Owners have been directed to remove all waste, garbage and debris from their vacant sites by Aug 15 and dispose of it only at designated locations notified by the civic bodies. They can also engage agencies authorised by the respective city corporations for cleaning and disposal. If owners fail to comply by the deadline, the civic corporation concerned will undertake the cleaning and recover the expenditure from the property owner.
