The Times of India                        09.11.2010

PMC gears up for Chhath

PATNA: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is working hard to clean the entire city, particularly the roads leading to ghats, before Chhath which begins on November 10.

The civic body is responsible for sanitation in entire Patna, barring nine wards which it has outsourced to A2Z, a private sanitation service provider,

"We are working on war-footing to ensure that devotees do not encounter any problems due to garbage," Chandrma Singh, a senior PMC official who is looking after sanitation management during Chhath, said.

"A2Z is doing its job in all the areas it is responsible for. In the wake of Chhath we have made requests to A2Z to extend its area of function and clean more roads," Singh added.

Along with road sweeping, collection and disposal of garbage and the cleaning of drains, PMC is also spreading bleaching powers at dirty spots, a PMC official said.

Working on contract with PMC, A2Z Infrastructure Pvt Ltd maintains sanitation in nine wards of the city. The main roads which are under its maintenance are Bailey Road, Fraser Road, New Dak Bungalow Road, Boring road and Boring Canal Road among others.

Vikash Jha, DGM, A2Z Infrastructure informed TOI that A2Z sweepers are working round-the-clock to ensure good sanitation during Chhath.

"Our areas are the cleanest in the city. But there has been a sudden increase in the amount of garbage due to Diwali. Our employees are working to make sure all the main roads which witness extraordinary flow of devotees during Chhath are clean," Jha said.

When asked about the PMC request, Jha said A2Z had readily agreed to extend its areas of function for Chhath. "We have been requested to do some cleaning at Kurji More and streets which link to our roads. We have no problem and we are doing it," Jha said, adding that A2Z had increased the frequency and the area of its road sweeping machines.

Heavy flow of Chhath devotees is witnessed in Boring Road, Ashok Ra-jpath,Gandhi Maidan, Exhibition Road, Bailey Road and other major thoroughfares of the city. Both the PMC and A2Z are working hard to clean up the city prior to Chhath which is considered the biggest festival in Bihar.