The Hindu 06.02.2010
The process of awarding solid waste contracts still on: Mayor
Staff Correspondent
Pourakarmikas urged not to heed rumours
‘We’ll have pre-condition before signing MoU’
HUBLI: Hubli-Dharwad Mayor Viranna Savadi has said that the issue of awarding solid waste management contracts was still under process and appealed to pourakarmikas not to heed rumours being spread by vested interests.
Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Mr. Savadi clarified that there would be no threat to the jobs of pourakarmikas who were being hired on contract basis by contractors.
He said that as per the direction of the Supreme Court, the State Government’s Department of Municipal Administration had formulated a policy and rules on solid waste management. Accordingly, the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation had called for Expression of Interest to which 10 firms had responded with proposals.
Subsequently, a consultant was appointed by the district administration to look into the proposals and conduct a survey on solid waste management requirements of the twin cities. The firm had conducted a survey in the twin cities for three months and submitted a report to the district administration, he said.
Mr. Savadi said that later the issue of solid waste management was placed before the council meeting of the corporation.
The issue was approved unanimously in November 2009 and was confirmed during the council meeting of December 2009.
He said that the Department of Municipal Administration had suggested some modifications in the proposals. These modifications would be sent to the secretary concerned and then placed before the Cabinet for approval.
Mr. Savadi clarified that under the proposal a solid waste processing unit had be set up at a cost of Rs. 100 crore and the corporation had set aside Rs. 10 crore as its share from the Rs. 100 crore grant given to it.
He said that e-tenders called for for the project were yet to be finalised, and the rumours being spread about cleaning contracts being given to foreign companies had no truth in them. He, however, clarified that although those who had participated in the tender process were Indian firms. They would be having collaboration with foreign firms only for technology and not for manpower, he said.
“While signing a memorandum of understanding we will put a pre-condition that local persons should be employed for the works,” he said.
He said that some vested interests were trying to mislead the pourakarmikas and also the contractors and those having doubts on the project should directly approach the Municipal Commissioner or officials concerned or himself.
