Empty plot owners given August 15 deadline to clean premises

Bengaluru: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has fixed charges for cleaning vacant sites within its jurisdiction and removing the waste generated from such properties. Property owners have been given time until August 15 to voluntarily clean their vacant plots, failing which the civic authorities will undertake the work and recover the expenses from the respective owners.

According to the order, cleaning a 1,200 sq. ft. vacant site and transporting the waste for disposal could cost between Rs25,900 and Rs26,900, depending on whether the property has a compound wall. GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao has directed officials to ensure that vacant sites that remain uncleared after August 15 are cleaned by the respective municipal corporations.

The cost of cleaning and transporting the waste will subsequently be recovered from the property owners.

The GBA has launched a “Waste-Free Independence Campaign” this month with the objective of making Bengaluru cleaner, more attractive and more liveable. Under Rule 18(1)(b) of the Solid Waste Management Bye-Laws, 2020, owners of vacant sites are responsible for maintaining their properties in a clean and hygienic condition.

Owners have therefore been asked to remove waste, soil and other unwanted material from their premises. “All owners of vacant sites in the city must clean their properties by August 15 and dispose of the waste at designated locations identified by the civic bodies,” the order stated.

Five locations have reportedly been identified for waste disposal.

Property owners may also engage service providers notified by the respective civic bodies to undertake the cleaning.If a vacant site is cleaned by the civic authorities, the expenses incurred will be recovered along with the property tax, according to the order. The cleaning charges for vacant plots have been calculated based on the specified cleaning depth. For plots larger than the listed sizes, charges will be recovered proportionately based on the area. The GBA has urged property owners to clean their vacant sites before the August 15 deadline to avoid civic intervention and additional charges.