The Times of India               06.06.2013

Civic panel likely to decide on ghantagadi contracts today

NASHIK: The standing committee of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) will meet on Thursday to discuss appointment of new contractors to collect garbage through 'ghantagadi' (bell vans) at divisional-level.

After the adjournment of the proposal last week on technical grounds, the civic administration will present a revised proposal before the standing committee.

The committee members had opposed the earlier proposal on the ground that the period of contract was two years, while the Rs 12.1 crore expenses mentioned in the proposal were for one year only.

The contract of the existing contractor for collecting garbage through ghantagadi had ended on August 22, 2012. As the e-tender process for new contracts were going on, the municipal commissioner had given extension to the contract.

A senior NMC official told TOI, "We have carried out tender process for appointment of new contractors. The process was delayed due to the elections to the standing committee."

The official explained that the proposal was for appointment of private contractors in all six divisions of the NMC for a period of two years. However, the expenses of Rs 12.1 crore were for the current financial year only as that amount has been earmarked in the civic budget for 2012-13."

The contractors who have been finalised by the administration are: Sayyad Asif Ali from Nashik (for Nashik East); M/s Water Grace Products from Nashik (for Nashik West, Cidco and Satpur); M/s Vishal Services from Nashik (for Nashik Road); and M/s Samiksha Constructions Co from Thane (for Panchavati).

On August 23, 2012, all the corporators had demanded 'prabhag'-wise garbage collection and municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare had drafted a proposal for the same. But at the general body meeting on December 14, 2012, mayor Yatin Wagh had announced implementation of the project at the divisional-level instead of giving the entire city's garbage collection to a single contractor as was the practice earlier.