The Hindu        03.05.2011

Waste management scheme may not become a reality soon

Garbage dumped on roadside near Urwa Chilimbi in Mangalore on Monday. — Photo: R. Eswarraj

The three-package solid waste management scheme of the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) is unlikely to become a reality soon.

After the State government approved the scheme on July 14, 2010, the civic body invited bids to implement it this January. It had shortlisted three bidders. Now, the corporation is likely to reject the proposals of the bidders because of a lapse on their part, sources in the corporation told The Hindu.

Since its formation, the scheme has seen many ups and downs. In mid-January 2010, the corporation invited bids for the scheme after obtaining the approval of the State Cabinet. A few days later, the government asked the corporation to revise the scheme citing some lapses. The changes were approved by the government in July last.

The sources said that an evaluation committee set up by the corporation to study the three proposals found that the bidders did not meet the conditions mentioned for handling vehicles.

The scheme proposed compulsory installation of global positioning system in the vehicles transporting solid waste from wards to the dumping yard at Pachchanady.

This had not been met. Hence, the corporation had no option but to invite fresh bids, the sources said.

Corporation Commissioner K.N. Vijayaprakash went on record in the MCC Council meeting on Friday last that the scheme was being implemented for the first time in the State.

The civic body was taking due care to implement it. It would take at least three more months to implement the scheme, he had said.

Features

Other features of the scheme are elimination of multiple handling of solid waste in the 60 wards; elimination of user fee for collection of solid waste from their doorstep and compulsory cleaning of the beaches.

Under the scheme, the 60 wards will be divided into north and south zones for managing solid waste, with the former having 29 wards in a package, and the latter 31.

The successful bidders would have to take up door-to-door collection of waste. In addition, they would have to take up sweeping of streets, removing weeds, cleaning road dividers, and transport waste to the compost plant and dumping yard, the sources said.

The third package would cover operation and maintenance of the compost plant and the sanitary landfill site at Panchchanady. The term of contractors under the existing eight-package scheme would end in June, the sources said.

Cess

The corporation has begun collecting solid waste management cess while accepting property tax for 2011-12 even as the implementation of the scheme is pending. As the cess collection is to be discontinued if it is implemented in this financial year, the corporation wants to adjust the cess amount collected while collecting property tax for 2012-13.