The Times of India                20.05.2013

VMC revives A2Z ties for solid waste mgmt

VARANASI: Gurgaon-based private group A2Z is being roped in once again to manage solid waste from 90 wards of the city. However, the group would have to complete pending work in the Karsada plant before the deal is finalized. The group had already completed 75% of the work in the plant before it fell out with Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) in August 2012.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by principal secretary, urban development, in the state capital on Friday. Municipal commissioner RP Singh on Saturday said that roping in A2Z to complete the Karsada plant was a better option as it would not put any additional burden on the treasury. Besides, the group would also be responsible for management and disposal of the solid waste. The door-to-door collection of the garbage and its transportation to Karsada plant will be managed by the VMC.'' The company representatives admitted to their faults and assured us of no repetition of such mistakes.'' he added.

However, the municipal commissioner said that all legalities would be looked into before formally handing over the project to the private group. He added that the VMC would send a new proposal to the ministry of urban development in this regard.

He further said that the private group would have to complete the pending work in three-and-a-half months. ' "It will be followed by a month-long trial run. If everything goes according to plan then the company can go ahead with treatment, recycling and composting of the solid waste in the next three months. The plant will be fully operational before the monsoon. At least this is what we are trying.'' added the official.

Notably, the project worth Rs 4867.73 lakh was proposed and sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2008. A public-private partnership (PPP) in solid waste management (SWM) between the VMC and the A2Z Group started in Varanasi in 2009. The work started on 38 acres in Karsada village of Varanasi but infrastructural development for the plant gathered momentum in 2010. tnnThe expected deadline for the project was September 2011 which was extended several times due to technical difficulties before the company opted out of the partnership in August 2012.