GBA Faces Backlash Over Rs 19,200 to Rs 1.28 Lakh Fines on Vacant Sites

The Greater Bengaluru Authority's (GBA) decision to impose penalties ranging from Rs 19,200 to Rs 1.28 lakh on vacant site owners who allow their properties to turn into garbage black spots has drawn intense criticism from opposition political parties, civic activists, and residents across the city, including representatives in HBR Layout. The GBA plans to start penalising plot owners from August 15 as part of its 'Freedom from Waste' campaign, sparking widespread calls for the administration to fix its waste collection system before levying fines.

Opposition political groups, including the Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and several resident welfare associations, have dubbed the initiative harassment and extortion. BNP founder Srikanth Narasimhan stated that the authority must first establish proper waste collection systems before targeting landowners.

AAP leader Ashok Mruthyunjaya called the policy an unwanted burden and warned that the GBA would face embarrassment if site owners challenge the move in court. He accused the administration of penalising honest landowners while failing to repair broken waste management systems, track commercial dumpers, or maintain public hygiene. Mruthyunjaya demanded an immediate rollback of the fines, double taxation rules, and land-grabbing clauses.

Padmanabha Reddy, a former ruling party leader in the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), termed the penalty scheme anti-people. He noted that taxpayers already pay registration charges, property taxes, garbage user charges, and cesses, arguing that citizens dump waste on open plots solely due to the failure of the municipal garbage collection system rather than negligence by property owners.

Solid Waste Management activist Kathyayini Chamaraj stated that the GBA has failed to adhere to High Court orders directing the creation of local processing units. She highlighted that recommendations to set up ward-level biomethanisation plants to reduce landfill dumping were ignored. Chamaraj added that waste collectors frequently mix waste and charge illegal fees, urging the municipality to resolve operational anomalies and introduce collection trucks equipped with separate compartments for dry, wet, and bio waste.

However, the initiative received support from some local representatives. Dayalu Arasappa of the HBR Layout Residents Welfare Association welcomed the penalty, stating that fines would serve as a necessary deterrent against site owners who deliberately leave their plots open and unprotected despite repeated requests.