The Hindu 21.01.2010
SWM issue: council asserts primacy over standing panel
Staff Reporter
Action will be taken basing on vigilance enquiry, says Mayor
Experts committee to go into making effective use of garbage
Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam 
Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao and Deputy Mayor K. Dorabbai in a heated exchange over the solid waste management controversy at the GVMC meeting on Wednesday. —
VISAKHAPATNAM: With Deputy Mayor K. Dorabbai making it clear that he did not mean ‘scam of Rs.1,000 crores’ in solid waste management in the municipal corporation but loss that would have occurred if the corporation went ahead with its plan of giving land and garbage to a fertiliser company, focus at Wednesday’s meeting of the GVMC council shifted to fixing responsibility for the decision and primacy of the council over standing committee.
Picking up from where he had left at the November 12, Mr. Dorabbai said at the rate of about 900 tonnes a day for more than 15 years the 100-acre dumping yard at Kapuluppada should have five million tonnes of garbage. Quoting statistics from NEERI and other national-level organisations, he said 56 per cent of the net volume could be converted into compost. With three acres of land at its disposal Coromandel Fertilizers would have had monopoly over compost making organic fertilizers that would cost Rs.9 a kg to farmers. ITC that collected dry garbage that constituted only 14 to 15 per cent recyclable material was ensuring payment of money while the compost was sought to be given free of cost. Also power could be generated from it.
Officials and Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao said the agreement was void as the company did not come forward for signing an MoU after a letter of acceptance was given to it. Mr. Dorabbai said had he not raised the issue, it would have resulted in loss though one might differ on the value, he maintained.
The Mayor contended that an official had given written view that the Standing Committee (of which he is chairman) could take a decision on leasing the three acres for three years. A Vigilance inquiry was on after which action would be taken.
Commissioner V.N. Vishnu agreed that the any policy decision should be taken by the council. He would examine the files and take departmental action by January 25 if any official had misled. He said an expert committee would go into making effective use of garbage at Kapuluppada.
CPI’s A.J. Stalin maintained that the council was supreme and the Standing Committee could not take a policy decision. MP Sabbam Hari agreed saying that any new issue of importance should be brought to the notice of the council by officials. TDP’s Nalluri Bhaskara Rao and Kona Tata Rao demanded that accountability should be fixed for it demanding either the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor should resign or action should be taken on officials.
